Macklemore pledges $1 million to Palestinian aid, challenges Robert Kraft to match

In a new statement on Wednesday, GRAMMY-winning artist Macklemore says he is donating $1 million he earned from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to support the Palestinian people and challenged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to do the same.

Macklemore was dropped from the tour for making pro-Palestinian comments on stage. Macklemore said Monday that owners of venues, rallied by Kraft, told the promoter they would prohibit him from performing as Sheeran’s opening act.

“With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom,” Mackle more wrote in part. “I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people. And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation. Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.”

Kraft responded by saying that Ed Sheeran has already asked him to commit $2 million to aid humanitarian causes in the region.

“In addition, I’d like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships,” Kraft’s statement on social media says.

In a statement Monday, Kraft said the decision to cancel Macklemore was a result of his recent comments “and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.”

In his statement, Macklemore mentioned a 15-year-old who was allegedly killed in an Israeli air strike while rushing to help an injured worker.

“Writing a check is one of the least costly forms of solidarity available to me. I am doing it because I can, and because these organizations are doing the work while much of the world debates it,” Macklemore wrote.

Hours after Ed Sheeran posted on social media about Macklemore’s ousting and attributed the decision to the tour’s promoters, Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, the Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas posted on Instagram that they were leaving the tour.

The moves by his fellow artists put enormous pressure on Sheeran, who has tried to avoid politics and taking a side in the Gaza conflict, arguing that his fans don’t come to his shows to hear politics.

Macklemore was scheduled to perform at eight of the 10 shows Sheeran has remaining on his stadium tour, which is scheduled to resume Saturday in Philadelphia. Ahead are stops at Gillette Stadium, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.

Sheeran said he “spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge,” but that “the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.”

“I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes,” Sheeran said. ”However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.”

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