Pharrell Williams has been criticised on social media for performing in an annual fundraiser for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Organised by the New York-based Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, the November 1 gala saw the pop singer join fellow musician Ziggy Marley on stage, performing in front a crowd that included Israeli soldiers in uniform. A string of Hollywood stars, including Gerard Butler, Ashton Kutcher and The Nanny actress Fran Drescher, also attended the Los Angeles event, which raised a record $60 million (Dh220 million) for the IDF. Remember: 170 Palestinians have been killed in the past seven months. And in just one week in May of this year, 64 Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers.
Williams took to the stage to perform his global hit Happy to a room full of Israeli soldiers and their supporters. This was only days after Williams tweeted to demand that US president Trump stop using the same song as part of his US mid-term election campaigning
WOWZA. Check out this cease and desist sent by Pharrell Williams to Donald Trump for using “Happy” on “the day of the mass murder of 11 human beings,” as the letter puts it. pic.twitter.com/Mst83Vp0kO
— Eriq Gardner (@eriqgardner) October 29, 2018
The irony of him then performing it at the IDF fundraiser was not lost on those on social media, who went online to label his actions hypocritical.
Here's a #double_standard for u: @Pharrell sings Happy @ Friends of the IDF Gala (https://t.co/snMuEbzlz0), supporting army maintaining brutal #occupation & violating basic rights of #Palestinians , but dislikes Happy being played @ Trump rallies (https://t.co/iuiudzzQjQ).
— Fady Khoury (@FaddyKhoury) November 5, 2018
Palestinian-American hip-hop producer Fredwreck – real name Faird Nassar – also called out Williams for his performance.
To my friend @Pharrell you performed for the IDF who murdered 252 Palestinians(49 children) this year protesting for their rights against being occupied. And you sing “Happy” to them?! What a shame 🤷🏻♂️ #freepalestine 🇵🇸 https://t.co/pdeZu2ApGP
— FredWreck (@Fredwreck) November 5, 2018
The US based think tank, The Institute for Middle Eastern Understanding also denounced the move, claiming it was contrary to the spirit of Williams’ song.
A response to the Hollywood IDF fundraiser, "It is difficult to understand how actors and performers, who carry the message of life, can support an army that carries out systematic killings, which contradict the essence of life and art"-Ahmed Abu Artema. https://t.co/g4OqgDrgO9 pic.twitter.com/3d3Iu3Y4Ml
— The IMEU (@theIMEU) November 11, 2018
This is not the first time Palestinian activists have expressed their dismay at Williams. Hundreds of protestors from the South African chapter of BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement demonstrated outside his Cape Town concert in 2015 over his plans to perform in Tel Aviv the following June. Williams eventually scrapped the date, citing a “scheduling conflict.
While none of the stars above posted their fundraiser appearance on their respective social media channels, news of their participation spread on social media, with fans immediately making their feelings known.
Butler, who recently starred in the crime caper Den of Thieves, has also been lambasted online, particularly from fellow fans of the Scottish football club Celtics – a team that has a long history of supporting Palestinian human rights and independence.
