Former Pink Floyd turned solo star has sparked outrage and controversy by comparing the state of Israel to that of Nazi Germany. 

Waters has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause for many years, has often been accused of anti-Semitism as a result. Earlier this year, he was slammed for using a pig-shaped balloon in his live show, decorated with Jewish symbols, including a Star of David. Waters defended himself by arguing that Judaism was not the only religion attacked in the concert. 

The latest comments to make headlines come from an interview with American Online last week where Waters said: "The parallels with what went on in the 1930s in Germany are so crushingly obvious."

Waters comments then came under fire from US scholar and writer Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who wrote to the New York Observer: "Mr Waters, the Nazis were a genocidal regime that murdered six million Jews. That you would have the audacity to compare Jews to monsters who murdered them shows you have no decency, you have no heart, you have no soul."

The Guardian reports that when speaking from New York on Saturday night, Waters strongly rejected Rabbi Boteach's claims.

"I do not know Rabbi Boteach, and am not prepared to get into a slanging match with him," said Waters. "I will say this: I have nothing against Jews or Israelis, and I am not anti-Semitic. I deplore the policies of the Israeli government in the occupied territories and Gaza. They are immoral, inhuman and illegal. I will continue my non-violent protests as long as the government of Israel continues with these policies."

He continued: "If Rabbi Boteach can make a case for the Israel government's policies, I look forward to hearing it. It is difficult to make arguments to defend the Israeli government's policies, so would-be defenders often use a diversionary tactic, they routinely drag the critic into a public arena and accuse them of being an anti-Semite.

"The Holocaust was brutal and disgusting beyond our imagination. We must never forget it. We must always remain vigilant. We must never stand by silent and indifferent to the sufferings of others, whatever their race, colour, ethnic background or religion. All human beings deserve the right to live equally under the law."