Palestinian winner of Arab Idol becomes U.N special ambassador

Mohammed Assaf, who took Palestine by storm after he won the pan-Arabic singing contest Arab Idol, has been named a U.N. special ambassador.

Since winning the show with politically charged songs like “Raise the keffiyeh” (the traditional Palestinian scarf) and his classically popular style, Assaf has been nominated as a youth ambassador by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, and as a goodwill ambassador by Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas.

Assaf hails from the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza, and reportedly had to plead with governing Hamas officials to be allowed to leave the small strip of land- under Israeli naval blockade since 2006- to travel through Egypt and compete in the Lebanese capital Beirut, where the live shows were broadcast. Al Jazeera says that another Palestinian contestant gave up his audition slot to Assaf after hearing the diaspora-born singer’s voice.

His victory was greeted by celebrations throughout Gaza, occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, while Assaf spoke of the social and political significance of his win for the Palestinian cause.

“Everyone struggles for their cause in the way they see fit,” he said.