VIDEO: Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf wishes Happy Eid in YouTube video
Mohammed Assaf’s YouTube video in which he sends greetings for Eid Al-Fitr, was posted on YouTube on 18 July and was immediately shared by his followers on Twitter.
The Palestinian singer and 2013 Arab Idol winner greeted all Arab countries in the video.
He goes on to express love for the “beloved and precious Palestine”.
Born in Beit Darras village, 32 kilometres northeast of Gaza, Mohammed Assaf, 26, became a national hero when he won the pan-Arab contest in 2013 after transfixing millions of television viewers with his soaring renditions of Arab love ballads and patriotic Palestinian songs.
Following his winning of Arab Idol, Assaf became a national hero in his home Palestine where he was named the ambassador of culture and arts.
As Assaf gained unprecedented popularity in the Arab world and internationally, he was named a goodwill ambassador for peace by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Launching his international career, Assaf garnered much recognition as well as awards. In October 2014, he won the top prize for Best Middle Eastern Act at the MTV European Music Awards (EMA).
Assaf remains faithful to his roots, and continues to address Palestinian and Arab issues in his songs. In July 2014, during the intensified Israeli offensive (which continued throughout August and killed over two thousand Palestinians and left thousands injured), Assaf released the song titled ‘Raise Your Head High.’ The song was his cry for Palestine and became an instant hit scoring over half a million views in three days. To date the song has been viewed over 2.3 million times.