Robert Kraft held 40-minute call with Ed Sheeran over why he would not host pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore — report

In a 40-minute phone call, Billionaire Robert Kraft explained to musician Ed Sheeran that he believed Macklemore’s accusation that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza was hate speech, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore had been slated to open for Sheeran on September 25 and 26 at Gillette Stadium, a Boston-area venue owned by Kraft.

But during the rapper’s opening set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month, he called for a “Free Palestine” from the stage and said that part of his reason for joining the tour was to repeat that message before large audiences across the US.

Kraft, a billionaire who supports pro-Israel and Jewish causes, has taken credit for Macklemore’s removal from the Sheeran tour earlier in the week, though the move sparked controversy.

During a phone call, the billionaire explained he would not host Macklemore at his stadium, the Journal says. While expressing sympathy for the Palestinian people, Kraft told Sheeran Hamas was the real problem in the conflict, and that Macklemore’s remarks amounted to hate speech.

Other NFL owners were also prepared to cancel Sheeran’s concerts as long as he remained as an opening act, the report says.