Gaza's 'Arab Idol' Hopeful Salutes Palestinians

Mohammed Assaf, a 23-year-old Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, is among the finalists in the wildly popular TV show "Arab Idol" on regional channel MBC. Assaf, hailing from the Khan Younis refugee camp, is a serious contender to win the show’s prize and has drawn the admiration of many back in Palestine.

That fact hasn’t escaped Mohammed, who told Al-Monitor that “whether I win or not, I am honored to be representing Palestine.”

“First and foremost, I salute the Arab masses and the Palestinian people in particular, in addition to all the people who supported and voted for me. It was for them that I reached this important stage,” he said during a phone interview from Beirut.

“Hopefully, I was able to honor my country and meet the expectations of the people who loved and trusted me.”