Children's entertainer Ms. Rachel has publicly criticized singer Ed Sheeran for maintaining an apolitical stance regarding the conflict in Gaza, particularly in the wake of rapper Macklemore's removal from Sheeran's tour. Ms. Rachel, a vocal advocate for Palestine, stated that Sheeran "caved" to pressure from those who refuse to acknowledge the situation in Gaza.
Macklemore was dropped as an opener from the remainder of Sheeran's U.S. Loop Tour after making "Free Palestine" speeches during Sheeran's concerts. While Macklemore did not directly blame Sheeran, he expressed disappointment in the singer's refusal to take a side, noting Sheeran's public posture of not taking sides.
Ms. Rachel echoed this sentiment in a statement posted to her Instagram account. "Ed Sheeran had an opportunity [to] show that we won’t be bullied into punishing people for supporting Palestine," she wrote. "Instead, he caved to people who refuse to accept what the world knows. A genocide is happening in Gaza. We all need to speak out against it."
She further elaborated, suggesting that if a comparable number of white children were killed elsewhere, the reaction would be different. "Treating some children’s lives as less worthy of outrage is racist. Silence during a genocide is not neutral," Ms. Rachel stated. She referenced a February Gallup survey indicating that more Americans sympathize with Palestinians than Israelis.
Macklemore has a history of vocal support for the Palestinian cause, having previously canceled a concert in Dubai and spoken out about the war in Sudan.
The controversy also drew in singer Pink, who initially shared a post from the group StopAntisemitism criticizing Macklemore's speech. StopAntisemitism has faced accusations of harassment and doxing individuals who speak out against Israel. Pink later clarified her stance on Instagram, stating that while she did not agree with all the words in the shared post, she believes "Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations" and that "Hamas is a terrorist organization." She emphasized that protecting innocent life is paramount and that no one should celebrate the death of a child, referencing her work as a UNICEF ambassador.
