Robert Kraft claims Ed Sheeran asked him to match $2m donation before Macklemore 'challenge'

Robert Kraft has claimed Ed Sheeran asked him to match a $2 million donation to humanitarian aid.

The 85-year-old Gillette Stadium owner, who reportedly blocked Macklemore, 34, from performing after his comments in support of Palestine, has said the A-Team hitmaker, 35, made the request before the rapper invited him to match his own $1 million donation.

On Wednesday (16.09.26), he said in a statement shared on social media: "I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.

"Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis.

"Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.

"In addition, I'd like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships."

Macklemore hit headlines when he took to the stage to open the tour, for which he was the support act, at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on September 4, telling the crowd: “"One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine.

Macklemore was dropped from the tour in the wake of the backlash he’d sparked, while all of Ed Sheeran's other support acts quit the run in solidarity with the rapper.

He then took to Instagram on Wednesday (16.09.26) to say he’s going to donate all of the money he’d earned from the tour, writing: “With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours. I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom.

“I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organisations working directly to support the Palestinian people.”

Macklemore then made a public plea to Robert Kraft - the owner of the New England Patriots - as he said: “I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation.

“Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.”