Home UK News Fury as Charlotte Church sings ‘from the river to the sea’ at pro-Palestine concert: Welsh singer comes under fire for leading chorus of ‘anti-Semitic’ song at Sing for Palestine event

Fury as Charlotte Church sings ‘from the river to the sea’ at pro-Palestine concert: Welsh singer comes under fire for leading chorus of ‘anti-Semitic’ song at Sing for Palestine event

0
Fury as Charlotte Church sings ‘from the river to the sea’ at pro-Palestine concert: Welsh singer comes under fire for leading chorus of ‘anti-Semitic’ song at Sing for Palestine event

Charlotte Church has been slammed for singing ‘From the River to the Sea’ at a pro-Palestine concert.

Video shows the 38-year-old leading a choir in a chorus of the protest chant at a Sing for Palestine event in the Welsh town of Caerphilly on Saturday. 

The song has been heavily criticised by Jewish groups who have branded it anti-Semitic and a call for the state of Israel to be destroyed.

The Welsh singer was also seen singing ‘Stop the Occupation’ at Bedwas Workmen’s Hall, and draped herself in a keffiyeh scarf – a symbol of Palestine.

Jewish advocacy group the Campaign Against Antisemitism said Church was at best ‘tone deaf but at worst she is using her voice to fan the flames of hatred’.

  • Were you at this event? Email matthew.lodge@mailonline.co.uk

Charlotte Church was seen singing protest song ‘from the river to the sea’ at a pro-Palestine rally in Wales on Saturday

The 38-year-old was seen posing for photos after the concert, in which she sang the tune 'Stop the Occupation'

The 38-year-old was seen posing for photos after the concert, in which she sang the tune ‘Stop the Occupation’

The choir held up a sign saying 'Let Gaza Live' during the event held at Bedwas Workman's Hall

The choir held up a sign saying ‘Let Gaza Live’ during the event held at Bedwas Workman’s Hall

The popstar has been outspoken in her support for territory, having released an Instagram video in November calling for the ‘liberation of Palestine’.

What does ‘From the River to the Sea’ mean? 

The song ‘From the River to the Sea’ is protest chant sung by supporters of Palestine.

In English the full lyrics are ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’, a reference to the land between the Jordan River which borders eastern Israel and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

The chant has become a battle cry in recent months, commonly heard at pro-Palestine rallies in Britain and across the West.

Many Jewish people see the song as a call for genocide and the abolition of the Israeli state.

The Anti-Defamation League says it is ‘fundamentally a call for a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, territory that includes the State of Israel, which would mean the dismantling of the Jewish state’.

It adds: ‘It is an antisemitic charge denying the Jewish right to self-determination, including through the removal of Jews from their ancestral homeland.’

However, supporters of Palestine say the chant is a call for peace and equality, and an end to the Israeli dominance over the territories of Gaza and the West Bank.

They argue it is a cry for Palestinian people to be able to live free and equally across the whole region that used to be known as British Palestine, not to dominate the region.

During the event on Saturday, which was attended by 150 people, Church told the crowd it was a ‘safe space to just breath and sing and get it all out’, The Sun reports.

She then led a choir, which included some children, in a seven-minute rendition of the controversial song as part of her 40-minute set.

Church was given a bottle of champagne at the end of the event, which was being held to raise money for the Middle East Children’s Alliance charity.

It has sparked calls from the Campaign Against Antisemitism for an investigation by the Charity Commission. 

It told MailOnline: ‘The genocidal chant ‘From the River to the Sea’ refers to the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, and only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state – and its replacement with a Palestinian state. It is a call for the annihilation of half the world’s Jews, who live in Israel.

‘Since 7th October, when Hamas committed their barbaric terrorist acts, we have heard this chant on the streets of Britain during anti-Israel marches, accompanied by all manner of anti-Jewish racism.

‘Singing ‘From the River to the Sea’ is not standing up for human rights. At best Charlotte Church has been tone deaf, but at worst she is using the voice for which she is so well known to fan the flames of hatred. You cannot stoop lower than using your stardom to teach kids to sing extremist lyrics in a village hall.

‘We will be writing to the Charity Commission to ask them to investigate how this was allowed to take place on a charity’s premises.’

Jewish MP Andrew Percy told The Sun those who joined in with the chant ‘should hang their heads in shame’.

There was outrage last week after activists projected the words ‘From the River to the Sea’ on the outside of Big Ben’s tower in London during a pro-Palestine rally.

The stunt was pulled off in full view of dozens of police monitoring a protest outside Parliament on Wednesday night, with Scotland Yard saying officers could not act because it was ‘not a criminal offence’.

Charlotte Church reportedly led the choir in a seven-minute rendition of the song which many Jews see as a call for genocide

Charlotte Church reportedly led the choir in a seven-minute rendition of the song which many Jews see as a call for genocide

The Welsh singer was heard telling the crowd the concert was a 'safe space to just breath and sing and get it all out'

The Welsh singer was heard telling the crowd the concert was a ‘safe space to just breath and sing and get it all out’

The slogan which is seen by many Jews as anti-Semitic was projected onto the Elizabeth Tower, better known as Big Ben, during a protest on Wednesday

The slogan which is seen by many Jews as anti-Semitic was projected onto the Elizabeth Tower, better known as Big Ben, during a protest on Wednesday

A spokesman from the Board of Deputies, which represents the Jewish community, said at the time: ‘From the river to the sea is seen by many Jews as a hate slogan.

‘For it to be projected on to Big Ben is a demonstration of the utter contempt these extreme campaigners have not only for the concerns of the Jewish community, but for our Parliament.’

Andrew Percy, a Tory former minister who is Jewish, said: ‘For months I’ve been standing up here talking about the people on our streets demanding ‘death to Jews’, demanding jihad, demanding intifadas as the police stand by and allow that to happen.

‘A genocidal call of ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ was projected on to this building. That message says no Jew is welcome in the state of Israel or in that land. This is going to continue happening because we’re not dealing with it.’

Church has been supportive of Palestine since the war in Gaza began last Autumn following Hamas’s surprise terror attack in southern Israel which killed more than 1,000 people.

In November the popstar choked back the tears in a video posted on Instagram as she implored her followers to take up the plight of innocent Palestinians caught up in the violence.

Church, who started out as a classical singer at just ten, has shifted her focus to politics in recent years, supporting the Labour party and causes such as remaining in the EU and Welsh independence

Church, who started out as a classical singer at just ten, has shifted her focus to politics in recent years, supporting the Labour party and causes such as remaining in the EU and Welsh independence

The popstar, 37, said she wanted to show her support and solidarity with the Palestinian people, as she urged listeners ‘don’t look away’.

Church referred to the ‘genocide’ which has so far seen nearly 30,000 Palestinians killed, two-thirds of them women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

‘Go with what your heart is saying, go with what your soul knows is the right thing to do,’ she said. 

MailOnline has contacted Charlotte Church’s representatives for comment.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here