Jameela Jamil spoke to NME backstage at the Together For Palestine concert last night, urging all artists to speak out and “be on the side of love and humanity”. Watch our interview with Jamil above.
The actress, activist and presenter was one of many hosts who gave impassioned speeches on stage at London’s Wembley Arena last night (Wednesday September 17), a night organised and curated by Brian Eno that saw huge performances from Damon Albarn, Paul Weller, Rachel Chinouriri, Yasiin Bey, and more, alongside guest speakers including Eric Cantona, PinkPantheress, Richard Gere, Benedict Cumberbatch, Florence Pugh, and Nicola Coughlan.
The event, which was also available as a livestream, raised just under £1.5million for the ‘Together For Palestine Fund’, which will be distributed to Palestinian-led organisations such as Taawon, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Palestine Medical Relief Service.
The concert came just a day after a UN commission inquiry concluded that Israel had committed a genocide in Gaza. Israel continues to deny accusations of genocide or war crimes.
This was the largest ever concert fundraiser to take place in the UK, with Eno having spoken about how it wouldn’t have been possible in years gone by.
When asked about what it means that this should take place in 2025, Jamil replied: “It tells us that we’ve reached boiling point of how much suffering people can watch on a livestream. It shows that there is a shift in the narrative and a tide that has turned. People are realising that we cannot live with ourselves anymore if we continue to look away and stay silent.”
With the nature of freedom of expression under scrutiny in the UK, Jamil argued that culture and politics have “always been intertwined”.
“Artists have such a duty to show up to impact culture,” she explained. “We have so much access to people’s eyes and ears. It is a huge failure on our part if we just take and take and take and never do anything to move culture and move people towards the right direction, which is that of love.”
However, Jamil said that should understood why artists might be fearful of speaking up for Palestine.
“I don’t want to shame anyone who’s only showing up now, but we desperately need you,” she pleaded. “When you look back later, you will realise that you were on the side of love and humanity. I think people will hugely regret not having said something when they could have.”
As for what Together For Palestine represents, Jamil said that she believed it represented a sense of hope that change could come as a result of solidarity and being seen.
“I can’t tell anyone not to feel hopeless in this current climate, but I think that a morsel of hope can be found in the calibre of artists who’ve shown up and aren’t afraid to speak up, say something and do the right thing,” she said. “I personally felt very moved looking around the room and seeing all the artist that are here like Massive Attack, Portishead, Damon Albarn and all these British legends, and then Eric Cantona who I guess we’re claiming as a British legend now.”
Jamil added: “When you realise the people you’ve looked up to your whole life are actually great and they actually stand alongside the principles you hoped they would, it’s an incredible feeling. I hope music fans feel at least moved by that. I can’t force anyone to feel hopeful, but I know that what we’re doing here tonight is really beautiful.
“Everyone’s here for such a beautiful cause and that fills me with a tiny bit of light amidst this terrible darkness.”
Check out all of what went down at the Together For Palestine concert here, and visit here to donate to the Together For Palestine fund.