From Wembley to Gaza: When the Palestinian narrative outpaces the occupation
On Wednesday night in London, something remarkable happened. More than 12,500 people filled Wembley Arena, alongside 69 artists and public figures, raising nearly $2m for Gaza in a volunteer-led effort. Yet the real significance lay not in the money, but in the breaking of a long-standing wall of fear: the unspoken taboo around saying the word Palestine on major western stages.
The driving force behind this historic event was Brian Eno, the world-renowned musician and producer known for his collaborations with David Bowie, U2 and Coldplay. Eno spent a year working with others to make the concert happen, despite repeated rejections from venues and platforms the moment they heard the word “Palestine”. In an article ahead of the event, he expressed his hope that it might echo the impact of the 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert – also held at Wembley.
That earlier show, organised by Tony Hollingsworth, was broadcast live to 600 million people worldwide, despite fierce opposition from British conservatives and initial reluctance from the BBC, which still described Mandela as a “terrorist”. It transformed Mandela into a global symbol of justice and hastened the end of apartheid. As Eno noted, culture often precedes politics: the stories artists tell reshape the moral space within which politicians must operate.
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The parallels with Gaza are striking. Wednesday’s “Together for Palestine” concert saw a line-up that would have been unimaginable even a year ago: Oscar-nominated actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Guy Pearce, chart-topping musicians Bastille, James Blake, PinkPantheress and Damon Albarn, alongside Palestinian artists Saint Levant and Elyanna. The opening speech was delivered by Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, who herself has been sanctioned by the Trump administration for speaking out against Israeli crimes.
For decades, the very word “Palestine” has been deliberately associated with “terrorism”, part of a sustained campaign to delegitimise the cause. Artists who dared to speak up have faced censorship and punishment: the Jewish filmmaker Jonathan Glazer was targeted last year for criticising Israel’s assault; actress Melissa Barrera lost a Hollywood role for calling it “genocide”; exhibitions in Germany were cancelled; and the BBC refused to air a documentary on Gaza’s doctors, later acclaimed when shown by Channel 4.
This campaign of fear was designed to make Palestine unspeakable. But Wembley showed that the fear is cracking. In fact, silence may now pose a greater reputational risk for artists than speaking out.
History teaches us how quickly taboos can collapse. It once seemed controversial to denounce South African apartheid; today it is taken as moral common sense. Former UK prime minister David Cameron admitted in 2006 that his party had been “wrong” on apartheid, calling Mandela “one of the greatest men alive”. One day, western leaders may be forced to admit their complicity in Gaza’s horrors. By then it will be too late to save tens of thousands of lives – but the cultural shift will have paved the way, and the credit will belong partly to the artists and writers who humanised Palestinians and made their dignity visible.
Nearly $2m was raised for Gaza in the heart of London. But the true achievement was something far greater: in the very capital that once authored the Balfour Declaration and set in motion the Nakba, thousands stood to cheer for Palestine.
From deep pain comes fragile hope. And perhaps, sooner than many expect, the tide of history will turn.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.