Zayn Malik reshares 2014 “Free Palestine” post amid criticism
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Zayn Malik has reshared his 2014 “#FreePalestine” post, underlining a stance he first took more than a decade ago.
On Sunday, the singer reposted the original tweet from July 28, 2014, which simply read “#FreePalestine.”
Alongside it he wrote: “This is for any confused individuals.. check the date.”
The move came after some online critics labeled him a “fence-sitter,” comparing a recent public remark of his to Ed Sheeran’s more cautious positioning amid the separate controversy that saw Macklemore dropped from Sheeran’s tour for openly declaring “Free Palestine” onstage.
The 2014 post was made while Malik was still in One Direction, during a major escalation against Gaza.
It quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of retweets and favorites.
#FreePalestine.
— zayn (@zaynmalik) July 28, 2014
Unlike several other celebrities who posted similar messages and then deleted them, Malik left his online despite intense backlash.
Some ‘Israeli’ fans expressed heartbreak and anger; a number of replies included death threats and demands that he kill himself.
Producer Naughty Boy, who was working with Malik at the time and posted a similar message, later defended the tweets.
“It’s not about being Muslim, it’s about being a humanitarian,” he said.
“We were together a couple of nights ago watching the news and saying how terrible [the conflict] is.” He added that artists had a “responsibility” to speak out.
Malik has returned to the issue several times since.
In May 2021 he posted a longer statement: “I stand with the Palestinian people. My heart aches for the families who have lost loved ones. We can not stand as silent witnesses to children being orphaned and murdered and not demand for the human rights of all Palestinians! This must end. Free Palestine.”
He has also shared donation appeals, including UNICEF posts about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and his family directed well-wishers to a Palestine-focused charity during a period when he was hospitalized earlier in 2026.
Supporters pointed to this consistent record after the latest reshare.
Fans noted that the original 2014 message “cost something” at the time and that Malik has continued raising awareness through stories, posts and fundraising.
