Björk has issued a rare political statement, urging the Icelandic government to intervene following the reported detainment of her long time friend and fellow musician Magga Stína by Israeli forces.
According to Björk, Stína was among hundreds of activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian mission aimed at delivering food, water, and medical supplies to civilians in Gaza. The flotilla, made up of 40 boats, was intercepted by Israel as it approached Gaza on October 7, preventing the aid from reaching its destination.
In a post shared to Instagram, Björk said her “childhood friend, musician Magga Stína, has just been kidnapped by the Israeli army,” adding that Stína had joined the effort “following Greta Thunberg in trying to open the path for international aid to Gaza.”
“I believe activism is as diverse as humans are,” Björk wrote. “I support Magga Stína and Greta doing everything possible to try to stop the genocide in Palestine.”
Stína reportedly became the first Icelandic participant in the Global Sumud Flotilla before her capture. Björk referenced Iceland’s historic recognition of a Palestinian state in 2014, calling on her government to honour that commitment.
“Even though we are few, our voice matters,” she continued. “We can continue to set an example of having the courage to rise up against oppression and represent peace. It is illegal to starve people and hinder the food from arriving at children.”
Björk urged authorities to cut business ties with Israel until the “genocide in Gaza stops,” and called for Stína’s “safe return” home.
The statement follows Björk’s decision to join the No Music For Genocide campaign last week, which saw more than 1,000 artists, including Hayley Williams, Lorde, and Massive Attack, remove their music from Israeli streaming services.
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