SINGER Ed Sheeran has described the situation in Gaza as 'catastrophic' as he took the stage for the first show of his Loop tour since rapper Macklemore was axed.
Sheeran, who faced criticism for not supporting Macklemore, also used his show in Philadelphia on Saturday to hit out at the censorship of artists.
Meanwhile, Irish singer Aaron Rowe — who quit the tour in solidarity with Macklemore — has defended Sheeran, saying anger should instead be being directed at venue owners like Robert Kraft.
Sheeran's tour was plunged into chaos after Macklemore revealed this week he had been axed from future dates in the wake of expressing his support for Palestine at the MetLife Stadium shows in New Jersey earlier this month.
Sheeran said it was a decision taken by promoters and venues while Macklemore said Kraft — owner of upcoming tour venue Gillette Stadium — had rallied other stadium owners and told Sheeran that if the rapper stayed on the tour, the shows would not go ahead.
All of Sheeran's support acts subsequently quit the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, including Dublin singer Rowe and Irish band Beoga, who were serving as Sheeran's backing band.
'I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore'
Taking to the Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Sheeran — who said in a statement earlier this week that he chooses not to speak publicly on political issues — addressed the conflict.
"I want to address the question of where I stand on the situation in Israel and Palestine and whether my doing this concert here tonight implies where I stand," he said.
"I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division; about humanity, not politics; but this is a humanitarian issue and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.
"What happened in Israel and at the Nova Music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain.
"What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate.
"My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, of children's lives, and the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.
"I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times and [I am] listening and learning because I do not know enough."
Appearing to address criticism that he should have supported Macklemore, Sheeran said he did not want to disappoint fans who had paid to come to the shows but hit out at organisers limiting artists' freedom of speech.
"I'm used to my music being criticised and I'm always happy to take that because I'm lucky a lot of you like stuff and to be honest I'm surprised and I'm not surprised that other people don't, that's normal," he said.
"But this week the criticism was about something much more important and I've had to take and make difficult decisions and I am making mistakes and I'm so, so sorry.
"I don't want to disappoint fans and I've never wanted to be an activist musician but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet.
"My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone and that matters hugely to me.
"Honouring my commitment to my fans is also completely central to who I am and that is why I'm here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.
"But I am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approve content for performers.
"This happens in so many places that I perform around the world but it should never happen in the free world."
Rowe support for Sheeran
Earlier this week, Rowe described Sheeran as a friend but said he had chosen to leave the tour 'to be true to myself and my ancestors who fought colonisation and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland'.
In a subsequent video, he defended Sheeran, saying 'all he has inside of him is kindness'.
Rowe said the real target for criticism were those who put Sheeran in the difficult position he found himself in and tried to suppress opinions they disagreed with.
"I'm going to be honest, I think you are all focusing on the wrong person here," said the singer.
"All I keep hearing is 'Ed Sheeran this, Ed Sheeran that' when you really should be focusing on the likes of Robert Kraft.
"You really should be focusing on the Zionist lobbies that are trying to silence the voices of people who are shouting about genocide, the genocide that is happening in Palestine right now by Israel."
He added: "You should be using this opportunity to plant a Robert Kraft face everywhere, someone who tried to shut down free speech, someone who tried to silence the voices of people who are shouting about genocide.
"That's what you should be using your energy on, not f****** Ed Sheeran."
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