PHILADELPHIA — Ed Sheeran publicly apologized on Saturday for his handling of a controversy that erupted after rapper Macklemore was removed as an opening act from his tour over comments on the occupied Palestinian territories.

Breaking his silence on the dispute, the British pop star condemned Israel's treatment of residents in Gaza as "unjustifiable."

"I've had to take and make difficult decisions and I am making mistakes and I'm so, so sorry," Sheeran told the audience in Philadelphia, where he performed for the first time since Macklemore was dropped from the tour.

Opening his show at Lincoln Financial Field, Sheeran described the October 2023 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis as "horrific." He then characterized Israel's ensuing war — which has killed thousands in Gaza and displaced nearly the entire population — as "catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate."

The singer also denounced "systemic injustice" in the West Bank, where Israel's right-wing coalition government has overseen a massive expansion of Jewish settlements.

Saturday's remarks marked a stark reversal from Sheeran's statements earlier in the week, when he posted on Instagram that his concert audiences "do not expect a political forum."

The controversy has trailed the singer since Macklemore claimed on Instagram that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft had informed Sheeran that the rapper would not be permitted to perform at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Sheeran has shows scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26. According to Macklemore, Kraft and other stadium owners told Sheeran he would be barred from their venues if Macklemore remained on the tour, following the rapper's "Free Palestine" declaration during a Sept. 4 concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The tour's other supporting acts subsequently quit in solidarity with Macklemore.

The dispute has cast a spotlight on the leverage stadium owners can hold over major tours, where objections to an artist's political speech can ripple beyond a single set and reshape an entire bill.

Although Sheeran acceded to the stadium owners' demand for Macklemore's removal, he said on Saturday that he was "deeply worried" about concert venues vetting performers' content. "This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world," he said.

The controversy, however, did not appear to trouble the fans who spoke with Reuters on Saturday before Sheeran took the stage.

Joy VanRuler, a 55-year-old teacher from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, said she supports both artists. "It doesn't need to be political," VanRuler said in an interview outside the stadium in Philadelphia. "It's about the music, and we support both of them and it's all good."

Macklemore "shouldn't have talked about politics," said Javier Hernandez, a 62-year-old designer from Allentown, Pennsylvania, who attended the concert at his daughter's invitation. "It gives the people an opportunity to raise their voices and just make a mess of the whole situation. He should have just left it alone."

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters also gathered about half a mile from the concert venue ahead of Sheeran's performance. Organizers said they were there to speak with attendees about conditions on the ground in Gaza and to highlight local groups advocating for Palestinians.

The tour next moves to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough for shows on Sept. 25 and 26 — the venue Macklemore cited in his account of the dispute.

— Reuters