Children’s entertainer Rachel Accurso, known as “Ms. Rachel,” says criticism has not deterred her from speaking out in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Accurso said the backlash initially surprised her, but she has continued speaking out despite warnings that she could lose business partnerships and viewers. She said she believes she has a responsibility to use her platform on behalf of children.
“‘You’re gonna lose this partnership. You’re gonna lose views.’ That doesn’t faze me because the kids gave me the platform. I’m going to stand with them no matter what,” Accurso said.
Her comments came after she criticized celebrities and political leaders who have remained publicly silent about Palestinian children in Gaza. In an Instagram post on Sept. 12, Accurso accused them of racism, writing that they “probably would say something if these kids were white and from a different place.”
Accurso also criticized singer Ed Sheeran this week after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the remaining U.S. dates of Sheeran’s tour. Macklemore had called for a “free Palestine” during his Sept. 4 and 5 performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey while opening for Sheeran, who Accurso accused of “caving” to pressure.
“A genocide is happening in Gaza,” she wrote.
Accurso’s advocacy has drawn criticism from pro-Israel groups, which have accused her of promoting anti-Israel propaganda and focusing disproportionately on Palestinian suffering.
Accurso also came under scrutiny in January after her Instagram account appeared to like a comment that read, “Free America from the Jews.” She apologized, saying she had intended to delete the antisemitic comment but accidentally tapped the like button.
Her advocacy has also extended beyond social media. In June, Accurso hosted an online press briefing focused on Palestinian children, featuring Chris Sidoti, a member of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, along with an emergency physician who had worked in Gaza and a Palestinian child from the West Bank. The briefing coincided with the release of a commission report on the treatment of Palestinian children.
“With Gaza, I couldn’t not speak out, ” Accurso told Rolling Stone.
