SEATTLE: Macklemore is putting his money behind his support for Palestinians. The rapper said Thursday he will donate $1 million in net earnings from his tour with Ed Sheeran to six Palestinian organizations.
The announcement comes days after Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran’s “Loop” tour following a speech earlier this month in which he called for a free Palestine. The decision led the tour’s other supporting acts to pull out of upcoming shows in support of the rapper.
In an Instagram post, Macklemore said he wanted the focus to return to Palestinians affected by the conflict.
He said his support was not about publicity or controversy, but about Palestinians having “freedom, dignity and safety in their own homeland.”
The rapper also spoke about Palestinian families struggling to get medical care and the work of doctors, paramedics, journalists and aid workers.
Macklemore said financial aid could help people in need but would not solve the wider crisis. He argued that political change was needed and said Palestinians should not have to wait longer for basic rights.
He also called on billionaire Robert Kraft to match his $1 million donation.
“Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting,” Macklemore wrote.
The money will go to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, Heal Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid Palestine, UNRWA and American Near East Refugee Aid.
Kraft responded through Gillette Stadium’s social media accounts, saying he and Sheeran had already agreed to donate $2 million to help people in the region.
Kraft said he has spent much of his life trying to bring people together and that he “believed deeply that all lives are worth protecting.”
He also said he has supported programs focused on creating opportunities for Palestinians and bringing young Palestinians and Israelis together through business, jobs and other initiatives.
Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, has close philanthropic ties to Israel. In 2019, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised him as a loyal friend of Israel while presenting him with an award.
Macklemore’s removal from the tour drew a strong reaction from fans and people in the entertainment industry.
Sheeran said Tuesday that he does not use his professional platform for politics. He also said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour’s promoters, not by him.
The tour’s other supporting acts, including singer Finneas and the band Boega, later announced they would withdraw from future shows in solidarity with Macklemore.
