YouTube star and children’s educator Rachel Accurso, whose “Songs for Littles” have been viewed billions of times, meets and sings one of her trademark songs with Rahaf, a 3-year-old double amputee from Gaza evacuated by Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Accurso, who has millions of followers across social media, has been outspoken about her views that the children in Gaza face a humanitarian crisis, and says she has received both support and bullying for her posts.
Criticism
Last year, she began speaking out about the plight of children in Gaza, peppering her account with appeals for aid. She was slammed by some sections and spurred calls for a federal investigation.
A privately funded pro-Israel lobby group last month urged US Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Accurso “is being funded by a foreign party to push anti-Israel propaganda to skew public opinion.”
“I think it should be controversial to not say anything,” she said a recent interview with independent anchor Mehdi Hassan, of the mounting backlash against her fundraising and advocacy.
“It’s sad that people try to make it controversial when you speak out for children that are facing immeasurable suffering. Silence wasn’t a choice for me,” she added.
But she spoke also spoke tearfully about the vitriol and “bullying” that came streaming in the form of allegations of anti-Israeli bias.
“Palestinian children, Israeli children, children in the US — Muslim, Jewish, Christian children — all children, in every country,” she wrote in response.
Video
One account wrote: “There’s a reason why Ms. Rachel is the tots’ hero! Despite mounting pressure, the children’s show host doubled down on her outspoken advocacy for Palestinian children. Rahaf is a child that suffered double amputations from an Israeli air strike.”
And then this…
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