American rapper’s pro-Palestine call: Pro-Israeli groups seek action

Trenton: American rapper Macklemore used his performance at Ed Sheeran’s concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to make a strong show of solidarity with Palestine, prompting the Israeli-American Council to demand that he be removed from the remaining tour dates.

Performing before more than 80,000 people, Macklemore appeared wearing a keffiyeh and delivered his pro-Palestinian song Hind’s Hall while images from Gaza and the occupied West Bank played on the stadium’s giant screens. He also called for freedom for Palestine as well as Cuba, Congo, Sudan and Iran, and denounced the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Macklemore directly addressed Jewish members of the audience, stressing that criticism of Israel’s policies and its actions in Gaza should not be equated with opposition to Jewish people. He presented his stance as a call for peace and equality. A message from a Holocaust survivor urging an end to the violence in Gaza was also displayed on the stadium screens.

The performance, however, drew a sharp response from the Israeli-American Council, which launched a petition seeking Macklemore’s removal from the rest of the tour. The organisation accused him of turning a music concert into a political platform and questioned whether the performance had received prior approval from the event organisers.

Hind’s Hall, released in 2024, was written by Macklemore in memory of Hind Rajab, the five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza. The song became a prominent expression of support for Palestinians and condemnation of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Macklemore’s latest performance has once again brought the Palestinian cause into the spotlight before a massive international audience.