Gaza singer wins Arab Idol to chants of 'Palestine, Palestine'

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Gaza City: Palestinians relished a rare moment of pride and national unity on Saturday after a 23-year-old wedding singer from a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip won “Arab Idol,” a regional TV singing contest watched by millions of people.

With the announcement of Mohammad Assaf’s victory, fireworks lit up the sky over the West Bank and Gaza.

Thousands who had watched the final show on outdoor screens in the two territories broke into cheers and chants of “Palestine, Palestine.” In Gaza City, young men on motorcycles waved Palestinian flags and women dropped candy from balconies.

Rasha Salman, 42, an engineer in Gaza City, was moved to tears. “He brought joy to our hearts and dried some of our wounds,” she said. “For a few moments, he united us behind his cause, which is art.” more

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