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Palestinian contestant sings song misprepresenting Israeli cities as "Palestine" on Arab Idol

Palestinian contestant Muhammad Assaf on Arab Idol:
"Oh flying bird, circling round,
My eyes protect you and Allah keeps you safe
By Allah, oh traveling [bird], I burn with envy
My country Palestine is beautiful
Turn to Safed and then to Tiberias,
And send regards to the sea of Acre and Haifa
Don't forget Nazareth - the Arab fortress,
And tell Beit Shean about its people's return
By Allah, oh traveling [bird], I burn with envy
My country Palestine is beautiful."
 

Note: This song has been broadcast in slightly different versions on official PA media channels. The full lyrics of this version of the song misrepresent the following places in Israel as in “Palestine”: Safed, Tiberias, Acre, Haifa, Nazareth, Beit Shean, Jaffa, and Ramle. The full lyrics name the following places in the PA: Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarem, and Ramallah. The song has been rebroadcast repeatedly on official PA TV, official PA TV Live and on the official PA radio station, The Voice of Palestine, since 2011. This version by Palestinian contestant Muhammad Assaf on Arab Idol 2013 originally aired on official PA TV on March 31, 2013. It was broadcast numerous times since then, most recently on Oct. 6, 2014 April 28, 2015 on PA TV, on May 21, 2017 on Fatah-run Awdah TV, and on March 31, 2018 on the official PA radio station The Voice of Palestine. Official PA TV, March 31, April twice on 20, 21, 22, 23, twice on 24, twice on 26, May 1, 3, 10, 13, 20, June 6, 9, 16, twice on 21, 22, Oct. 24, 2013; Oct. 6, 2014; Fatah-run Awdah TV, March 5, April twice on 27, twice on 28, 2015; May 21, 2017 Official PA radio station Voice of Palestine, Feb. 21, March 31, 2018


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