Ms Rachel Matches Macklemore’s $1M Palestine Donation

By Staff, Agencies

YouTube star Ms Rachel has pledged to match rapper Macklemore’s $1 million donation to organizations supporting Palestinians, while urging other wealthy public figures to make similar contributions.

Macklemore, who was dropped as an opening act on Ed Sheeran’s tour after saying “Free Palestine” during a performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, said he would donate all his earnings from the tour to organizations supporting the Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, Ms Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Accurso, announced on Instagram that she would match the donation, writing that more than 20,000 Palestinian children had lost their lives and that children continued to lose their lives every day. Her contribution will go to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

Accurso, who has more than 21 million YouTube subscribers, said public figures have a moral obligation to use their platforms to protect children and human rights.

She called on “every wealthy white celebrity” to match her contribution and has repeatedly spoken about the hardships facing children in Gaza, including what she has described as an “Israeli” genocide.

Similarly, Macklemore has continued to use his platform to speak in support of Palestine. During a two-minute speech, he declared: “Free Palestine! I want those words to be loud and clear,” adding that people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank should know they had not been forgotten.

However, his comments drew criticism from “Israeli” lobbies. Singer Pink called for Macklemore to be removed from the tour, citing a 2014 incident involving a costume that was criticized for resembling a Jewish caricature. Macklemore apologized for the costume at the time.

Pink later said on Instagram that she was not speaking on behalf of the “Israeli” entity, but was advocating for “Jewish concertgoers who may have been disturbed by Macklemore’s remarks.”

Macklemore subsequently addressed Jewish audience members during another tour date on September 5, saying that criticism of “Israel,” apartheid and genocide should not be understood as criticism of Jewish people, and reiterating his message of peace, dignity, respect and equality for all.

At the same time, Sheeran has maintained that Macklemore’s removal was driven by stadium owners, including Gillette Stadium and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

On Tuesday, Sheeran wrote that he had personal views on the conflict but chose not to speak publicly about them, adding that this did not mean he did not care or support causes privately.

Kraft and Sheeran are each donating $2 million to “aid in the region,” Kraft said Wednesday, although the recipient organizations have not been identified.

In addition, four supporting acts, including American singer Finneas and Danish pop band Lukas Graham, have withdrawn from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.

The developments come as a growing number of artists publicly support Palestinians, whether through donations, statements or decisions to withdraw from major tours. Their actions have kept the humanitarian situation in Gaza and Palestinian suffering in the international spotlight.