The proud song of Gaza, Palestine Mohammed Assaf, the Arab Idol and the rock star is caught in a tough place. He is a goodwill ambassador for UNRWA--the division of the UN that works to help the Palestinian refugees. Assaf is a refugee himself, and since Israel bombed UNRWA few times, there's plenty of rage. But Assaf has to come across as a statesman....he cannot say things that can be used against him.
He has stated that he is with resistance.....he sang for it, but he could not come out and support factions, he is with the people of Gaza every single one of them--the ones that have been wronged. He has also been working overtime to make sure aid gets delivered. He also said that he tried to go into Gaza, but he says the Israeli's won't allow him to go in. Really, did he try to go through Egypt?
Assaf I love you brother, you are a good voice, we all on the same team, just make sure this is never about you, at least not this minute. Speak up as much as you can, this interview is pretty bold--he called the aggression barbaric. He does admit he has been away from Gaza for a year. His town of Khan Yonus got razed. Where are the people? No need for slogan and hot air, we need to break the siege.
محمد عساف عن الحرب على غزة : اعطوا الشعب الفلسطيني حقه لتتحاشوا غضبه
I don't see anything wrong with him taking out a personal stance on an issue that is very personal to him. He is Palestinian, and he shouldn't be quiet about this. He's a proud Palestinian.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, even if he tried to get by through Egypt, he wouldn't. It's not only Israel that is making Gaza an open-aired concentration camp. Plus, Egypt has been destroying tunnels so that Gazans have no access to Egypt, but the first class private jets are ready for Israel along with the wine.
Back to Mohammed, I wish he could have lashed out more, but I feel like he holds back so much when there is no need. If UNRWA drops him, then they drop him, but they failed more Palestinians before him and continue to now. The UN is not even investigating on the repeated strikes on the UNRWA facilities because Netanyahu controls Ban Ki-Moon. There is no justice, not even reinforced by the UN.