Ms Rachel's Matching Donation
YouTube star Ms Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Accurso, announced she will match rapper Macklemore's $1 million donation to organizations supporting Palestinians. In an Instagram post, she wrote that over 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed and that children continue to die daily. She said her donation would go to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund and called on every wealthy white celebrity to match her contribution. Accurso, a children's entertainer with more than 21 million YouTube subscribers, has been outspoken about the suffering of Gaza's youth during the war with Israel.[S1]
Macklemore's Dismissal and Fallout
Macklemore lost his opening slot on Ed Sheeran's tour after he declared "Free Palestine" from the stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 4 September. He had promised to give all his tour income to groups aiding the Palestinian people. Israel-aligned organizations criticized his comments, and singer Pink urged his removal, pointing to a 2014 incident in which he wore a costume resembling a Jewish caricature; Macklemore apologized at the time. Pink later said on Instagram that she was not representing the Israeli government but wanted to support Jewish concertgoers who might have felt alarmed. At a second tour date on 5 September, Macklemore told Jewish audience members that criticizing Israel is not criticizing them and that his message is one of peace, love, and dignity for all.[S1]
Sheeran, Kraft, and Tour Departures
Ed Sheeran has said the choice to remove Macklemore was made by stadium owners, among them Gillette Stadium and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Sheeran said he holds personal opinions about the devastating conflict and that staying silent publicly does not mean he lacks concern or fails to back causes in his own manner. Kraft announced Wednesday that he and Sheeran are each giving $2 million to Palestinian relief funds, though the specific recipient organizations remain unspecified. Four supporting acts, including American singer Finneas and Danish pop band Lukas Graham, have left the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.[S1]
