New Jersey (QNN)- Macklemore has doubled down on his call to “Free Palestine,” which he made while opening for Ed Sheeran at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Friday night, saying that criticism of Israel, apartheid, and genocide is not antisemitic.
“To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you,” Macklemore said on Saturday night, via Newsweek.
“My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.”
“He added, “So I say free Palestine, I say free Lebanon, I say free Cuba, I say free Congo, free Sudan, I say free all people in America living in fear of this terrorist organization, ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free.”
During his Friday night set, Macklemore told the audience that he wanted the people in Gaza and the West Bank to know that he had not forgotten them: “I believe that every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom.”
That statement caused the Israeli American Council to release a petition that demands that the four-time Grammy winner be removed from the rest of Sheeran’s Loop tour.
Macklemore has repeatedly used his concerts as a platform to express solidarity with Palestine.
Macklemore was among more than 1,100 artists, musicians and cultural workers who called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest this year 2026 over the inclusion of Israel.
