Ed Sheeran addresses Gaza, Israel controversy at concerts

What happened

• At his first concert since Macklemore was removed from his tour, Ed Sheeran told a Philadelphia crowd that what is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and apologized to fans, saying he had made mistakes.WUHFCBS NewsNBC NewsAP NewsVariety
• In the same remarks he called the October 7 Hamas attacks horrific and said they added to centuries of Jewish pain, while describing Israel's military actions as disproportionate and pointing to what he called systemic injustice in the West Bank.WUHFYahooreuters.com
• Sheeran again said the decision to drop Macklemore was not his, criticizing the practice of venues pre-approving performers' content, a reference to Patriots owner Robert Kraft barring the rapper from Gillette Stadium.WUHFPitchforkNew York Post
• Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside Lincoln Financial Field before the show, and the controversy has produced a wave of celebrity donations, with reports of $1 million each from Macklemore and Ms Rachel and $2 million each from Sheeran and Kraft.WUHFBusiness Insider AfricaNew York Post
• Bill Maher used his HBO show to attack Macklemore over his Gaza remarks and to revisit a 2014 costume the rapper wore that included a wig, beard and fake nose, for which Macklemore apologized at the time, according to the New York Post.New York Post

Why it matters

The row has turned a stadium pop tour into a test case for how venues, sponsors and performers handle speech about the war, with pressure coming from both directions.WUHFNew York PostPitchfork

Where coverage differs

• Most US and international outlets led on the Gaza half of Sheeran's speech, headlining the word unjustifiable, while some coverage foregrounded his framing of October 7 and Jewish pain instead.CBS NewsNBC NewsAP Newstheguardian.comYahooThe Times of Israel
• Israeli and right-leaning US coverage placed the speech inside the continuing argument over Macklemore's removal and his past costume controversy, rather than treating it mainly as a statement on the war.The Times of IsraelNew York Post

What pro-Israel voices are saying

• Listed pro-Israel commentators focused less on Sheeran's apology than on Macklemore, with Noa Tishby arguing over what the Free Palestine slogan actually means and HonestReporting suggesting the removal helped the rapper's career.WUHF
• Zach Sage Fox covered both Sheeran's admission of mistakes and a mural of Macklemore reportedly painted in Gaza, while StandWithUs framed the rapper's comments as anti-Israel.