To feel sorry for Ed Sheeran.....

All his other support acts have quit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3vgyn49y4l7o

The record labels love a scandal and will be quids in over this. Macklemore and the other artists who supported will get a much higher profile and make even more money for their record labels.

Then for every Ed Sheeran fan who cares about Palestine, there will be more who don’t have an opinion or support Israel. And yes, there are plenty of fans who support keeping politics out of music. It won’t hurt him too much, and he already has maxed out his career and made a fortune in any case.

So no, I don’t feel especially sorry for Ed Sheeran!

@mids2019 here’s the bit that’s confusing me

He’s friends with Macklemore. He must’ve known this was a risk. I don’t know if Macklemore was made to sign some kind of contract or if Ed just trusted him not to do anything like this.

But after Macklemore did it the first night, why was he on the second night?

I’m not looking at this through a political lens. I just find it very strange that you can invite somebody who is known to be like this and then claim to be surprised by what they’ve done.

My feeling is that Ed thought there might be some headlines but no huge backlash?

I had to look this up, but it seems that people have walked out because they object to Macklemore not being allowed on anymore. What a mess.

They signed the UN treaty giving a share to both groups. It was the Arabs who refused it and attacked them the following day. Ever since, they have offered land many times for peace: the proof of that is that Jordan and Egypt, who were a large part of the original Arab coalition that attacked them in 1948, have both been at peace with them for decades - because they haven't attacked Israel since then.

Israel later took all the settler Jews out of Gaza in exchange for peace, but instead Hamas got into power, partly by murdering their own Palestinian opponents, and never had another election again. Instead they turned Gaza into a massive military camp from which they have been firing rockets into Israel for years - and still Israel didn't invade. (Not saying the IDF have been perfect - but like I said, there's no such thing as an army that doesn't commit some atrocities - that's not the same as genocide)

It took an invasion into Israel proper for the IDF to reinvade Gaza. Under international law that was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. And then you have Hamas openly saying that their civilians will not even be allowed to shelter in the tunnels, never mind leave the country (did Ukraine try to stop women and children from leaving when Russia invaded?)

Basically the Oct 7th attack was only able to take place because Israel removed the Jewish settlers and gave Gaza to the Palestinians. If the Palestinians had wanted peace, they would have used the billions they've received in international aid to rebuild, like Cambodia, South Korea, Vietnam, Northern Ireland, have all done - but theyu don't want peace. They want to destroy Israel.
i don't really see what else Israel can do except fight back.

Why do you feel sorry for a multi millionaire? There are loads of people on the other side who will support him I wouldn’t worry. Fans have the right to express their unhappiness with his behaviour and actions

OK

Of course it’s a problem.
It’s abhorrent.
As was the treatment of Isreal towards the indigenous population of Gaza for decades prior to that yes?

What is your point? Genuinely, I don’t understand.
Are you saying that Jews having a homeland would necessarily mean mass killing and subjugation of the population they want to have??
And everyone has to be ok with that?

What's the basis for Turkey invading northern Cyprus and taking homes there?
No matter, there would still be no justification for Greek Cypriots to go into random Turkish homes and kidnap a nine month old baby and take him back to Cyprus with them.

Do you really not understand the problem of unprovoked attacks on civilians?

I think I agree with you OP. I think it's fair enough for a singer to be non-political - especially on a topic as complex as Israel/Palestine. I don't think it's fair to try to force someone to publicly pick a side. He's not a politician or an expert in Middle Eastern conflict.

This doesn’t even make sense. There is no moral discomfort in keeping politics out of his music tour. It’s sensible.

What was the basis for Isreal killing Palestinians and taking their homes with force in the years till then?
Please, tell me.

There is literally no legal basis for going into Israel (not Gaza, not the West Bank[ and attacking civilians in their own homes, including children. Nor attacking a concert.

There is a legal basis for declaring war on the men who do that, and that required attacking Gaza, which was run by Hamas. The alternative for Israel would have been to accept that their civilians woudl be attacked over and over. And the fact that Hamas chooses to use its civilians as shields for its militants and not the other way around doesn't change that.

If you're on the side of Hamas, that's evil.

I can’t say I care about Ed Sheeran or his tour. There’s already a thread on this also.

Also, have accidentally seen him live 3 times (and I rarely attend concerts) and must say he isn’t very good.

Because some people actually stick to their morals and have spines to speak out for the oppressed. It’s not about the money for everyone.

No Jews no news. Who cares what Tunisia does.

There were indeed a lot of Hamas multi millionaires, keeping aid meant for their people in bank accounts in Qatar. Sad.

As you're not in Gaza, your eyes and ears are not telling you anything of the sort. Other people are telling you, and much of what they're saying is untrue. And much of what is true is what happens in all wars - there is no such thing as a war that had no crimes committed during it. That doesn't make all wars wrong. Hamas are torturing and murdering anyone in Gaza who wants peace - and where is Greta Thunberg now?

Speaking of Greta, you know that some of the "Sumud Flotilla" people are STILL in custody in Tunisa months after the ones who got to Israel returned home?

Tunisia extends 'Sumud 4' flotilla activists' detention to 10 months, little international outcry

Why does nobody care about them? Was it only when Israel was involved?

Some people simply will not accept that what is happening in Gaza is a genocide despite all that their eyes and ears tell them. It's unfathomable.

But will the same people be ok with a dodgy billionaire - who Ed sang for at his wedding for £££ no doubt - clamping down on free speech? What Macklemore said was not hate speech, nowhere near it. A rich old fucker didn't like it, and Ed bowed down to the mighty dollar instead of defending the right of artists to free speech.

And don't get me started on Galway Girl.

...or maybe the premature babies who were locked in a hospital and left to starve to death alone? Did they deserve it?

What about the innocent 5 yo girl, her 6 family members and the 2 paramedics who tried to rescue her that Macklemore dedicated his song to? Are they good enough victims for you?

I'm with Ed on this, I've conciously opted not to follow Isreal/palestine politics or to have an opinion on it (as hard as that is, but I certainly don't express one). If the world leaders with all their collective knowledge and experience can't figure out what the hell to do with the place, then how am I, or Ed, meant to.

This is situation is ridiculous.