Ms. Rachel has pledged to donate $1 million US to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), matching the donation promised by rapper Macklemore following his removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour due to his pro-Palestinian comments during a performance.
Rachel Accurso, a prominent American YouTube personality and educator, announced her commitment in an Instagram post, urging other affluent white celebrities to join her in supporting the cause and condemning the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinian children have lost their lives.
Accurso, known for her YouTube channel with over 21 million subscribers, was appointed as a global ambassador for PCRF last year. She has been actively advocating for the well-being and rights of children in Gaza, using her platform to raise awareness about the humanitarian challenges faced by the region.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, expressed his admiration for Ms. Rachel’s initiative by commenting on her post. He recently declared on Instagram that he will donate his entire $1 million earnings from Sheeran’s tour to six organizations supporting the Palestinian community.
The rapper was removed from Sheeran’s tour after voicing his support for Palestinians during a concert, leading to backlash from pro-Israel groups and venue threats. Macklemore later revealed that his expulsion was orchestrated by American billionaire Robert Kraft, who opposed his performance at the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.
In response to the controversy, Sheeran defended his stance on the conflict between Israel and Palestine, clarifying that the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour was not his own. Despite attempts to mediate, Sheeran faced criticism for his perceived neutrality on the issue, prompting all remaining supporting acts to withdraw from the tour.
Both Sheeran and Kraft have now pledged $2 million each towards humanitarian aid in Gaza, following a challenge from Macklemore. Kraft confirmed that Sheeran had approached him before the public challenge, emphasizing their shared commitment to addressing the ongoing crisis in the region.