Ed Sheeran has spoken onstage for the first time about Palestine, describing the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable” during a concert in Philadelphia.
The singer addressed the controversy surrounding his Loop Tour after support act Macklemore was removed from the US concerts amid calls for a free Palestine and criticism of Sheeran.
Opening Saturday night’s performance, Sheeran said: “This is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s OK if I say a few words about this last week.”
He said criticism of his music was normal, but added: “This week the criticism was about something much more important.”
Sheeran acknowledged that he had been forced to make difficult decisions, saying: “I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry.” He said he had never wanted to be an activist musician but had been drawn into an argument about freedom of speech and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He also defended his decision to continue the tour, saying his concerts had always been a safe space for everyone and that honouring his commitment to fans was central to who he was.
Ed Sheeran speaks about Gaza and the West Bank
Sheeran said the Hamas attack on a music festival in Israel on October 7 2023 had been “horrific” and had compounded centuries of Jewish pain.
Turning to Gaza, he said: “What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate. My heart is being broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilian lives, of childrens’ lives.”
He added: “The systemic injustice we’re seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”
Sheeran said the concert did not indicate that he supported one side of the conflict, explaining that he had generally avoided political commentary because he wanted his music to focus on unity and humanity. But he said the situation was a humanitarian issue and that he could no longer hide how he felt about it.
He told the audience that it was important for people with opposing views to be together at the show, adding: “We can all agree on singing these songs. These songs are about hope, love and unity.”
Sheeran had previously said online that Macklemore’s removal from the tour was the promoter’s decision, rather than his own, and that he had attempted to build bridges with venues.
He has also said he was appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine and had donated $2 million to the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, although it was unclear exactly how the money would be used.
