Ms. Rachel, known as Rachel Accurso, has declared her intention to donate $1 million US to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), matching the generous contribution promised by rapper Macklemore. This decision came after Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour due to his pro-Palestinian statements during a performance.
In a recent Instagram post, Ms. Rachel urged other affluent white celebrities to follow suit and denounce the ongoing crisis in Gaza. She emphasized the importance of using one’s privilege and influence to safeguard the rights of children, citing the tragic loss of over 20,000 Palestinian children’s lives.
As a global ambassador for PCRF since last September, Ms. Rachel has actively advocated for the well-being of children in Gaza. Her YouTube channel, with over 21 million subscribers, has been instrumental in raising awareness about the humanitarian situation in the region.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, expressed his admiration for Ms. Rachel’s initiative, commenting, “Wowwww…. Love you so much.” He recently announced that all his earnings from Sheeran’s tour, totaling $1 million, would be donated to six organizations supporting Palestinians.
Following Macklemore’s expulsion from the tour for expressing solidarity with Palestinians, he faced backlash from pro-Israel groups. Several U.S. venues threatened to cancel performances unless Macklemore was removed, leading to his eventual departure orchestrated by billionaire businessman Robert Kraft, a staunch supporter of Israel.
In response to the controversy, Sheeran clarified that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoter, not himself. Despite expressing horror at the conflict in Israel and Palestine, Sheeran defended his decision to refrain from taking a public stance on the issue, emphasizing that he does hold personal views and cares deeply about the situation.
In a show of solidarity, both Kraft and Sheeran pledged $2 million each towards humanitarian aid in Gaza, prompted by Macklemore’s challenge to match his donation. Kraft revealed that Sheeran had contacted him beforehand, initiating the joint commitment to address the crisis in the region.