Israeli DJ pulls Tomorrowland performance after report links him to IDF propaganda

This article was originally published by Mixmag Global, you can read it here.

Israeli psytrance artist Skazi has cancelled his scheduled set at Tomorrowland 2025 amid controversy surrounding his support for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

The DJ and producer, whose real name is Asher Swissa, announced his withdrawal via a Facebook post on Saturday, July 26, just hours before he was due to perform.

"Due to security considerations and our deep commitment to spreading only love and music, my performance at Tomorrowland has been cancelled. My priority is to ensure a safe and positive atmosphere for everyone involved,” he stated.

The announcement came shortly after Belgian daily De Morgen published a report detailing Swissa’s connections to the Israeli military, including visits to bases in the "Gaza Envelope", areas from which operations into the Gaza Strip are often launched.

The article also highlighted Swissa’s previous remarks to Israeli media, where he described himself as a "combat DJ", and his involvement in a propaganda video created for the Civil Front, a controversial Israeli nationalist organisation. In a video clip dating back to November 2023 — one month after the October 7 Hamas attacks — a track produced by Swissa features an Arabic vocal sample declaring: "You came out of the sewer like rats... We will dance on the ruins of Gaza".

Following the report, Belgian pro-Palestinian advocacy group 11.11.11 publicly called for Swissa’s removal from the Tomorrowland programme, accusing the artist of contributing to a "propaganda campaign that condones violence against Palestinians.”

As reported by The Brussels Times, Tomorrowland’s organisers initially concluded that Swissa’s previous performances and content did not form part of an aggressive campaign, framing them instead as tributes to the victims of the Nova Festival massacre. On that basis, they had permitted him to remain on the line-up.

However, festival officials reportedly imposed strict conditions, asking Swissa to avoid using a microphone or displaying the Israeli flag during his performance, a contrast to his 2024 set, when he addressed the audience in Hebrew in support of Israel. A spokesperson told The Brussels Times that Swissa had agreed to the terms and would perform under "the Tomorrowland flag" only.

Despite this agreement, Swissa ultimately opted to cancel his appearance and left Belgium the following day, returning to Israel. Speaking at Ben Gurion Airport, he told Israeli media: “There was a pro-Palestinian organisation that was really on our backs, doing everything to stop it from happening. It was all very intense and threatening.”

In a statement, Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen confirmed that the decision to pull out had been made by Swissa himself, despite public pressure: “Like many of our stakeholders, we were confronted with questions about his performance, and we value the open and thoughtful dialogue that ensued," she said.

“At Tomorrowland, we are fully committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for everyone. That is, and always will be, at the heart of our work. We continue to have great respect for Skazi's musical journey and hope to hear his music on one of our stages again in the future,” the statement concluded.

The incident follows another controversy at the festival’s first weekend involving Israeli duo Vini Vici. Two Israeli men were reportedly seen waving a flag of the Givati Brigade, an infantry unit of the IDF currently active in Gaza, during the pair’s set. Belgian police later detained the individuals after receiving a tip-off alleging their involvement in “serious violations of international humanitarian law” against Palestinians.

Although the men were released from custody, they are believed to have crossed into the Netherlands. The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a pro-Palestinian group, has since urged Dutch authorities to take action. "It remains unclear whether they were legally permitted to leave Belgium, or whether they are now fugitives evading justice," the HRF said in a statement.