Coldplay’s Chris Martin blasted for humiliating Israeli fans while praising Palestine

Chris Martin welcomed Palestinians on stage to huge cheers, but Israelis say they were left embarrassed and humiliated

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has become the centre of a heated debate after an explosive moment at Wembley Stadium, where his words about Israeli and Palestinian fans split the crowd and set social media ablaze.

The incident unfolded as Martin invited two young Israeli women onto the stage during the band’s London show. At his piano, he told them: “I’m very grateful that you’re here as humans. We are treating you as equal humans on Earth, regardless of where you come from.” His remarks were met with a mix of awkward boos, scattered applause and groans from the audience.

Martin then turned to the wider stadium and added: “Although it’s controversial, maybe, I also want to welcome people in the audience from Palestine. I believe that we’re all equally human.” This sparked a dramatic shift in the atmosphere, as the sold-out crowd erupted into loud cheers. Clips of the moment quickly went viral, with many praising Martin for openly acknowledging Palestinians in front of tens of thousands.

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But the reaction among Israelis and pro-Israel commentators was far less forgiving. Journalist Eve Barlow described the situation as “mortifying” for the two women, saying that what should have been a celebratory moment turned into “an opportunity to qualify your existence in front of an audience of tens of thousands.” Jewish YouTuber Yaakov Langer branded Martin’s words “disgusting,” claiming the women were humiliated simply for being Israeli. Critics also noted that he made no reference to Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.

For Palestinians and their supporters, however, Martin’s message struck a powerful chord. Many applauded him for speaking of equality and for recognising Palestinian presence in the crowd, with videos of the cheers widely shared online. Fans called it a rare moment of solidarity from a global stage.

What Martin framed as a call for unity has instead highlighted a stark divide. For some, his words were a moving statement of shared humanity. For others, they were a public humiliation that left Israeli fans singled out and embarrassed before the world.