Gaza's Gaze: Ed Sheeran and the Uncharted Territory of Cultural Politics The decision to allow Ed Sheeran's concert in Philadelphia to proceed, despite an initial backlash that saw several opening acts drop out in solidarity with Macklemore, has thrust into stark relief the increasingly convoluted landscape of cultural politics surrounding Israel Palestine.
The row stems from Sheeran's tacit endorsement of his opening act, who uttered a phrase – "free Palestine" – during a show in New Jersey, sparking outrage among Palestinian advocacy groups calling for a boycott of the tour.
For decades, support for Israel was seen as a reliably bipartisan and unassailable position. However, since Israel launched its war on Gaza, public sentiment has begun to shift dramatically.