Rocker Eddie Vedder has released a cover of John Lennon's peace anthem Imagine in a bid to raise funds for a charity supporting unity in the Middle East.

The Pearl Jam frontman's version of the iconic 1971 track was recently released on iTunes, and all proceeds will go to Heartbeat, an organisation which is attempting to unite the war-torn countries of Israel and Palestine through music.

Vedder first covered Imagine during a performance at a music festival in Portugal earlier this year (14), when he told the crowd that while he has publicly spoken out against war and alluded to the ongoing Middle East conflict, he wanted to be clear he wasn't explicitly choosing sides.

He said, "If you're anti-war it doesn't mean you are pro one side or the other in a conflict. So this next song I always thought it was probably the most powerful song ever written... Which is why I have never played it.

"It seems like maybe there is a reason to play it. If you'd like join me or use your voices or hold a light there might be some people out there that need to know they are not alone."

His performance of Imagine came days after he lashed out at pro-war advocates in a lengthy rant on stage during a gig in Milton Keynes, England.