Drake Breaks Silence On Israel-Palestinian Conflict, Signs Ceasefire Letter
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Drake has broken his silence and voiced his support for a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Drizzy, along with many artists, signed a letter penned to President Joe Biden calling for a ceasefire in the war. The note was posted to Artists4Ceasefire and called for the American leader to end the carnage three weeks after the conflict began on Oct. 7. The message details the war’s unnecessary casualties and claims that “6,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza in the last 12 days – resulting in one child being killed every 15 minutes.”
“We come together as artists and advocates, but most importantly as human beings witnessing the devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors in Israel and Palestine,” the letter begins. “We ask that, as President of the United States, you and the US Congress call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the last week and a half – a number any person of conscience knows is catastrophic. We believe all life is sacred, no matter faith or ethnicity and we condemn the killing of Palestinian and Israeli civilians.”
“We urge your administration, Congress, and all world leaders, to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay – an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages. Half of Gaza’s two million residents are children, and more than two thirds are refugees and their descendants being forced to flee their homes. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach them.”
Along with the Canadian superstar, Victoria Monét, Jennifer Lopez, Macklemore, Tessa Thompson, Mark Ruffalo, Jordan Peele, Aminé, Kaytranada, Belly, Kehlani, Bella Hadid, Quinta Brunson, Killer Mike, Noah “40” Shebib, and more signed the letter calling to end the war.
On Oct. 18, Drizzy’s longtime friend and producer, 40, was the first to say something from the OVO camp. Since the initial Hamas attack in early October, Israel Defense Forces unleashed a series of attacks against Palestinians. Hezbollah, the Lebanese military group, has aided in destroying Israeli cameras along their shared borders. 40, who is of Lebanese descent, spoke out against the warfare.
“I live in Canada, One of the worlds most brutally violent colonial regimes. Still in active genocides against indigenous peoples. It’s hard to speak as I sit here benefiting from colonial violence to the highest degree,” he typed on Instagram.
“Believing in both the human rights of Palestinians and the right and need of a Jewish state has meant I have always had friends on both sides. And beyond the physical war, seeing them be pushed into extremism by such acts of violence is distressing. This is what colonialism looks like. It’s what it’s always looked like. When will this stop? When will life win over death? The world did not come and stand with the Jewish people during the holocaust. Now we watch as the world does not come and stand with Palestine. I’m ashamed and devastated by it all.”
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