Artists, athletes and other public figures/celebrities are coming under increasing pressure to take stances on issues that resonate with their fans, who increasingly—especially among the youth—expect their idols to speak out on social, political, and moral issues that matter to them. This could be why we are hearing more celebrities addressing the moral issue of our time—Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Young people are increasingly boycotting or unfollowing their favourite artists who haven’t used their voices and platforms to condemn the genocide. Furthermore, more artists—like Academy Award-winner Javier Bardem—are increasingly refusing to work with people or institutions that refuse to condemn the genocide in Gaza.
Worried that their silence could possibly harm their careers, these celebrities—or perhaps even their managers—are now increasingly speaking out—some more carefully-worded than others, as seen in the recent statement by Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence that the situation in Gaza is “nothing less than a genocide", although she doesn't mention the party responsible for said genocide: Israel.
And as Israel’s war drags on, inflicting unimaginable suffering on Palestinians in Gaza, vague appeals “to end the war and release the hostages” are not strong enough to meet the moment. The conflict is no longer seen as a war between two equal sides, as Israeli propaganda insists, but as a genocide by one side against the other. To stand in the middle is, in effect, to side with the aggressor.
Growing awareness
Awareness of the Palestinian issue has grown and continues to grow. The more people learn, the more they understand that silence isn’t neutrality—it is complicity. Equipped with moral clarity and growing knowledge, the public is now actively moving toward holding those responsible for the genocide—and even those who remain silent—accountable.
This moral shift is, of course, not unique to the issue of Palestine and Israel. It has historical precedents, such as the movement that helped South Africa rid itself of apartheid or the decades of education that occurred in the aftermath of the Holocaust. In fact, anyone who still endorses or denies the Nazi extermination of Jews during World War II is publicly shamed and ostracised.
