Macklemore has clarified what he meant when he said that he was in favor of a “free Palestine” to a live audience.
“When I say free Palestine, it’s not against anyone,” he explained in a video that he posted to his Instagram on Sunday (December 24). “It actually means we should protect everyone. It means equality for all. Respect, peace and love. It means the right to exist, regardless of what sector you’re from.”
He continued: “My intention is to never offend anyone. I want every soul in this arena to feel the reflection of love. But there’s innocent humans out in Gaza getting murdered with our dollars, and those precious human lives are an extension of us. I can’t get up here and jump around in a fur coat and pretend while in my gut…my gut’s saying, ‘you know better, Ben.’ The ancestors yelling, ‘you’d better step up for us!'”
“I love my Jewish brothers and sisters so much,” he concluded. “And my perspective is one that’s saying ‘free Palestine’ is also rooted in your protection, my loves. And there isn’t a drop of anti-Semitic thought in my head or my blood. Never again, means never again for all.”
Last month, Macklemore made headlines when he took to the stage at a pro-Palestine demonstration in Washington, D.C.
The “Can’t Hold Us” rapper spoke passionately about Israel’s ongoing attack on Gaza, which has killed over 20,000 Palestinians and displaced 70% of the region’s population. Israel’s effort was in response to Hamas’ attacks of October 7, which killed about 1,400 Israelis and resulted in the taking of around 240 hostages.
“First and foremost, this is absolutely beautiful to observe today,” Macklemore began. “I didn’t expect to be on a microphone. There are thousands of people here more qualified to speak on the issue of a free Palestine than myself.”
He continued: “But I will say this. They told me to be quiet. They told me to do my research, to go back, that it’s too complex to say something, right? To be silent in this moment. In the last three weeks, I’ve gone back and I’ve done some research … I’m teachable. I don’t know enough. But I know enough that this is a genocide.”
This isn’t the first time that Macklemore has called the Israeli attacks on Gaza a “genocide.”
The “Thrift Shop” rapper previously issued a long statement on Instagram on October 19, sharing his reflections on the current war between Israel and Hamas, and the associated humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
He captioned the post: “Please read,” followed by a prayer hands emoji, a Palestinian flag, an Israeli flag, and a heart.
He began by expressing deep sympathy for Israelis captured and killed by Hamas in their surprise attack earlier this month, and their loved ones.
“My heart deeply hurts for the Israelis that lost loved ones to such an abomination,” he wrote. “As a father, I cannot imagine if one of my kids was at that festival [the Supernova music festival, attacked by Hamas], or was still missing after being kidnapped. It is absolutely unfathomable.”
After that, Macklemore pivoted to the Israeli response to the attacks. “[K]illing humans as collective punishment is not the answer,” he continued. “That is why I am supporting the people around the world who are calling for a ceasefire.
“We are witnessing an unfolding genocide in Palestine at this very moment… Gaza is being demolished. Well over 1 million people have lost their homes… Innocent kids are being murdered as I’m typing this…. Israel isn’t allowing water, food and medicine into the open-air prison that is Gaza.”
israeli fight wars just as dirty as russia in ukraine save the children the children always vunerable
🤡
But everybody technically wants to “exist”. The Palestinians want to own land that flat out does not belong to them, regardless of what their religious leaders say. They can exist, just as Israeli citizens. If they want a multicultural country and government, they need to have kids and vote out who they dont like, not kill concert goers and decapitate babies. Hamas are savages, and the good Palestinians need to get rid of their remnants brutally, or Israel will finish the job. And US college students need to get a job and stop worrying about shit that doesn’t got nothing to do with them.
It’s wild in 2023 with SO much info there’s ppl like u who are such drones with no mind of their own. Palestinians were there first lol. No babies were decapitated, that’s was debunked early but the fact you heard it and still believe it speaks to how gullible you are. Israel actually bombed and killed a ton of Israelis and decapitated a lot of Palestinian children with bombs. And the world has everything to do with us, we live in a globe not country.
@Loluclown stop sniffing glue, it’s killing your brain cells
So no actual response just saying random nothings despite being exposed for not knowing what youre talking about? ty
@freepalestine This is a hip hop website. It’s also Christmas Day. Nobody’s trying to argue on here with your dumbass about palestine. Get a life, ty
Yet..you’re on here. On Christmas Day u bothered to go to a comment board on a hip hop site to use a 3rd grade retort? Seems you need to get a life, I don’t even celebrate Christmas..damn what a loser.
Rare Macklemore W
He whines about politics nonstop. Far from a W
Ppl do shit like this when their art and music is lacking
No Ppl do this when they have a concious and they arent sheep. We have been duped into beliveing the zionist agenda and we’re all headed for a very rude awakening. Mark my word! #FreePalestineNoW
These are the sheep you are talking about, right?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VJIVHeAEJ_Q
All yall are a bunch of woke fucks. I tried to tell yall facts in my last post, but yall just wanna do that gay ass troll shit instead of doing some researching about the creation of Israel and whos land it was in biblical times. And that doesnt even matter, if you gonna take some land from its current owners, better bring some F-16s and M1s maybe a squad of A-10s, not a bunch of clowns with parachutes and RPGs. Hamas FAFO and maybe they learned not to elect terrorists into government positions. Yall woke fools need to leave that shit alone, it has nothing to do with your skin color or your queerness.
So we’re woke..but you’re using lines Biden uses? Pick one. You told ZERO facts its why u got clowned. Facts? But then you wanna talk about biblical times? So are you fact based or religion based? Israel was created in 1948. Israel was not a country in biblical times, Judah was. Canaan and Palestine named after the Philistines existed Israel never did. By your logic Natives can now have America back right? Seems woke of you.
He did not quote Biblical Times as a fact
He referenced it as a time IN HISTORY
please do some thorough “scientific ““ ( re: factual ) data research prior to 1948 like back to other historical databases that existed PRIOR to and during the times the land was called Judea,
And.,
Do keep in mind the word History is a modern word , most likely formed from Two words. HIS & Story
Factual information is nearly always provided by — written from the perspective of the Conquering nations & prevailing Culture
But keeping that in mind, please do your homework
On many levels
Best to you