Some of the biggest names in music, film and culture will unite on Wednesday for Together For Palestine, a one-night concert at London’s OVO Arena Wembley in aid of humanitarian work in Gaza.
The Together For Palestine Fund will channel every penny raised to Choose Love, which will distribute the money to groups including Taawon, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the Palestine Medical Relief Service.
Singer Paloma Faith, who has spoken at several peace protests over the past year, said she felt compelled to act after witnessing harrowing footage from Gaza.
“The moment I saw videos of children the same age as mine with limbs falling off crying for their absent, deceased parents or laying on rubble or other corpses, it was enough for me. Unfortunately that was very early on,” she told The Standard.
Faith explained why she chose to speak out publicly in support of: “If I don’t use my platform for good - the betterment of humanity, what use is it? Only financial gain? Simply selfish self serving endeavors? No, I don’t stand for that.”
On Tuesday, a United Nations report concluded that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The UN commission of inquiry found that there are reasonable grounds to find that the state has engaged in four of the five genocidal acts as defined under international law since the beginning of its war with Hamas in 2023.
These are: killing members of a group, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy the group and preventing births.
Israeli leaders have also shown a clear evidence of genocidal intent through their statements on Gaza and the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the report said.
Israel has denied the report’s claims, calling it “scandalous” and a “libellous rant”.
Calling for urgent political action, she added: “Honestly it’s a bit late for ‘awareness’. Those of us who have been on the campaign trail for two years and more demand an immediate ceasefire, ending arms sales to Israel and an end to UK complicity in this genocide.
“Never again meant never again for everyone,” Faith continued. “My grandfather was Jewish and any person who survived that genocide would never agree to this happening again, plain and simple. I hope we raise money to help medical aid get in, rebuild an infrastructure and leave these people in peace. Free Palestine. End this racist and Islamaphobic rhetoric now.”
The line-up for the one-off cultural event spans music, film and activism: Celeste, Leigh-Anne, Damon Albarn, James Blake, Jamie xx, King Krule, Mabel, Obongjayar, Rachel Chinouriri, Sampha and many more will perform alongside Palestinian artists such as Elyanna, Saint Levant, Faraj Suleiman and Nai Barghouti.
Actors including Florence Pugh, Benedict Cumberbatch, Charithra Chandran, Guy Pearce, Jameela Jamil, Ramy Youssef and Amer Hlehel will appear, as will writer-presenter Amelia Dimoldenberg and documentarian Louis Theroux. Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos will also take part.
Portishead have recorded a one-off string-quartet performance of their song Roads to be screened on the night, while special appearances are promised from PinkPantheress, Rina Sawayama and Riz Ahmed.
Executive producers Brian Eno, Khalid Abdalla, Khaled Ziada and Tracey Seaward have spent months bringing together British and Palestinian artists.
The visual language of the concert is being guided by the visionary Gazan painter Malak Mattar, known as ‘Palestine’s Picasso’, who at 25 years old her work has already been exhibited in 80 countries. She will turn the stage into a canvas for contemporary Palestinian art, creating a vivid expression of Palestinian creativity, resilience, and beauty.
The visuals for the event will be interwoven with powerful moments of reflection and hope, directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Amir Nizar Zuabi. These segments will honour the extraordinary courage of frontline doctors, teachers, journalists, and aid workers - and offer space to grieve those who have been lost.
Tickets for the benefit have already sold out, however merch is available to buy here or direct donations can be made here.
To watch the livestream, visit https://togetherforpalestine.org/
