Ms. Rachel, a prominent American YouTube personality and educator, has announced a generous donation of $1 million US to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), matching the contribution offered by rapper Macklemore. This charitable gesture was made following Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour due to his pro-Palestinian comments during a performance.
In an Instagram post, Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, urged other affluent white celebrities to follow suit and denounce the ongoing crisis in Gaza. She emphasized the importance of using privilege and platforms to advocate for children’s safety and human rights, especially in light of the staggering number of Palestinian children who have lost their lives.
Accurso, known for her popular YouTube channel with over 21 million subscribers, was appointed as a global ambassador for PCRF in September last year. Her advocacy for child protection in Gaza has been a focal point of her social media presence, drawing attention to the dire humanitarian situation in the region.
Macklemore, whose birth name is Benjamin Haggerty, expressed his support for Ms. Rachel’s initiative, stating, “Wowwww…. Love you so much.” He recently declared that he would be donating his entire $1-million earnings from Sheeran’s tour to six organizations dedicated to assisting the Palestinian community.
The Grammy-winning rapper faced backlash and was removed from the tour after voicing solidarity with Palestinians and criticizing the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Despite the controversy, Macklemore reiterated his message of advocating for peace and human rights for all individuals, irrespective of their background.
The involvement of American billionaire Robert Kraft, a strong supporter of Israel, in orchestrating Macklemore’s removal from the tour sparked further debate. Kraft confirmed his opposition to the rapper’s performance at the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, citing concerns over hateful speech and divisive messaging.
In response to the escalating situation, Ed Sheeran, the main artist on the tour, clarified that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoters and not by him personally. While expressing his dismay over the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Sheeran defended his choice to remain apolitical, citing personal views on the matter.
Following these developments, all supporting acts, including the Irish folk band Boega, decided to withdraw from the tour, leaving Sheeran without any opening acts for the remaining shows. Despite the challenges, both Sheeran and Kraft pledged $2 million US each towards humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza, aiming to address the ongoing crisis.
Kraft revealed that Sheeran had reached out to him before the public challenge and expressed a commitment to contributing towards alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The collaborative efforts between the artists and venue owners are geared towards fostering unity and making a positive impact in the region.
