I came to London as Arab Idol winner: but as a Palestinian my sense of injustice is always close by
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Version 0 of 1. What struck me most during a recent visit to Britain – my first ever – was the sense of secure continuity. Governments come and go, society is always changing, but the rights of the people are protected constantly. Hearing Big Ben echo across Parliament Square before my concert in Westminster, it seemed symbolic of this history and permanence. It is the opposite for Palestinians. I grew up in the Khan Younis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, where thousands of displaced men, women and children have lived under Israeli control since 1967. Gaza has turned into what the international community has called a prison camp – a consequence of the founding of Israel in 1948, and Palestinian families being driven out of their land. This event is referred to as nakba, or the catastrophe. Our own rights have since amounted to nothing. There is a near permanent conflict between Israeli occupiers and us Palestinians. Friends and neighbours were among thousands, including hundreds of children, massacred over the summer. When I was a boy, I played football in the streets. Adults would shout at us to go elsewhere because of the dangers of attack by Israeli forces. I thought about that when four kids were murdered on a beach while kicking a ball around in July. Nowhere is safe. We are trapped. I know exactly how that feels when bombs and bullets are pouring down on defenceless civilians, and there is nowhere to run. It’s like absolute hell on earth. I’m 25 now, and there have been Israeli military campaigns regularly throughout my life, with entire communities being destroyed. That doesn’t mean we just give up. In life you have to keep trying to overcome oppression. I strive to oppose injustice as a musician, but initially I wasn’t even allowed out of the blockaded strip. I took a huge risk travelling to Cairo for the Arab Idol competition more than a year ago, spending two whole days held up by Egyptian forces at the border. In the end I had to sneak into auditions because I was so late, but it was all worth it. Performing a Palestinian anthem as around 120 million people watched on television for the final was incredible. The siege of Gaza and military occupation in the West Bank were briefly forgotten when I won the contest. Palestinians celebrated in the street and momentarily did not think about the constant threats to safety, all the shortages, high unemployment, the lack of freedom of movement, and all the violence and discrimination that come with subjugation. That night they were immensely happy and yearning for life more than ever. My songs are about love, freedom and patriotism – I dedicate everything to my people and my country. I haven’t left it – I performed concerts in places such as Nazareth for Christmas. Otherwise I am just touring, promoting my first album, which is called Assaf. There are 11 songs, I got an MTV award in Scotland for best Middle East act, and the Oscar-nominated director Hany Abu Assad is already shooting a film about my life. After everything I had been through I am still overwhelmed by my success. Last October the UK parliament symbolically voted to recognise Palestine as an independent state, and this extremely important move is being replicated across Europe. It’s about time there was official recognition, - we simply want to join the rest of humanity. I hope that this year the UN will also vote in favour of Palestinian statehood and the end of Israeli occupation. There have been numerous war-crime allegations made against Israel, and with Palestine signing the Rome statute to join the international criminal court, international justice must start playing a stronger role. This is especially so as illegal land grabs increase. I want to give hope to all Palestinian youths and put their message across to the world. My music can be a powerful force for change. As the UNRWA goodwill ambassador for Palestine, I try to raise money for the nearly half a million people who were made homeless in Gaza last summer and also for their psychological support. I witnessed this devastation when I was back in Gaza during and after the carnage, delivering aid and lifting spirits. But reconstruction and assistance alone are not enough. These atrocities must stop. As a Palestinian you are reminded of your wonderful homeland wherever you are in the world. It’s in your soul and in your blood, but our sense of injustice is never far away. |