Westminster gig was dream come true, says Arab Idol star

 
“Force for change”: singer Mohammed Assaf
Nabila Ramdani24 December 2014

Performing to a sell-out crowd in the shadow of the Palace of Westminster has been described as “a dream come true” by Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf.

The 25-year-old singer, who won the second series of the TV talent show last year, made his first visit to London this month where he performed at the Methodist Central Hall.

“It’s a place I’ve always wanted to come to, especially after the UK Parliament symbolically voted to recognise Palestine as an independent state in October,” said Assaf, who grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp.

Assaf, who had family and friends killed by Israeli forces while growing up, said of the latest conflict in blockaded Gaza: “The terrible suffering that has been experienced needs a political solution, but the pressure must come from ordinary people.”

Assaf said his burgeoning stardom, combined with his background in Gaza, can be a great force for change.

His winning performance on Arab Idol drew an audience of 100 million, and he picked up an MTV award for Best Middle East Act while in Britain.

Thousands of mainly London-based fans turned up to see him perform in Westminster, and Assaf said he wanted “everybody to enjoy my music”.

Celebrations broke out across Gaza and the West Bank when Assaf won Arab Idol, as well as in parts of Israel. He wants the same feeling of hope to extend to the Palestinian diaspora in London. “Art reaches the heart faster than bullets. I’ve heard too many bullets and just want peace,” he said.

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