On Wednesday, the rapper Macklemore said he would donate US$1 million, his full net earnings from his now-truncated role on the Ed Sheeran tour, to six organizations that supported Palestinian people. He invited New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to do the same. “Whatever we disagree about,” Macklemore wrote, “perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth supporting.” It turns out he was correct. “I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people,” a statement from Kraft said. “I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.” The two were at odds this week when Kraft used his stadium ownership role to help oust Macklemore from Sheeran’s tour, accusing Macklemore of having a “history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery” and expressing distress at unspecified “material shared from the stage.” Macklemore had made speeches on the tour in support of Palestine. In response to Macklemore’s removal, Sheeran’s other opening acts resigned as well. Kraft said that he’d heard from Sheeran too, when Sheeran asked him, he said, to commit $2 million “to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis.” Kraft’s statement said that for decades, he had “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 did not say he was making an additional donation at this time, but did say that, with Sheeran and other stadium owners, “our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.” “Writing a check is one of the least costly forms of solidarity available to me,” Macklemore wrote in his statement. Some other celebrities have since joined in financial pledges. On Thursday, YouTube star and children’s educator Rachel Accurso, known to millions as “Ms. Rachel,” said she was matching Macklemore’s donation to support Palestinians and called on other public figures to follow suit. “I invite every wealthy white celebrity to match it and speak out against the genocide in Gaza,” she wrote. “We have a moral obligation to use our privilege and platforms to protect children and human rights,” to which the rapper responded and expressed his thanks. Ms. Rachel said her donation would go to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. The Ed Sheeran tour continues this weekend in Philadelphia and tickets are available. By Choire Sicha, CNN
