Yacoub Shaheen Wins Arab Idol, Palestinians Around the World Celebrate

posted on: Mar 1, 2017

BY: Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer

Celebrations have been taking place across Palestine after Yacoub Shaheen, a Bethlehem native, won the hugely popular Arab Idol contest on Saturday. Shaheen, 22, beat out his Yemeni competitor, Ammar Mohammed, and another Palestinian, Ameer Dandan, from the Israeli town of Majd al-Krum, to win the coveted title.

Modeled after the once wildly successful shows American Idol in the U.S. and Pop Idol in the UK, Arab Idol has become the most watched televised program across the Middle East and North Africa. Its finale drew more than 100 million viewers to the Dubai-based channel MBC1, which decides the winner based on text voting.

Shaheen’s win comes just a few years after another Palestinian winner, Mohammed Assaf from a Gaza refugee camp. Assaf has become a mega star in the Arab world, and once captured the hearts of millions of viewers on Arab Idol by singing popular, patriotic Palestinian songs. Today, Assaf has become a symbol for Palestinian resilience. He is still producing hit music and touring the Arab world and U.S.

A big support from the students of St Joseph school in Bethlehem to #يعقوب_شاهين #arabidol @Yacoub_Shaheen pic.twitter.com/oMJWnveFwI

— Lara Ohannessian (@Laroushka) February 22, 2017

After winning, Shaheen followed in the steps of Assaf by wearing the Palestinian flag around his shoulders and singing: “My pledge and my oath, my blood is Palestinian”. The new winner will likely become another motivational figure for Palestinians, who often don’t feel the sense of winning while enduring life under Israel’s military occupation.

Thousands gathered throughout the occupied West Bank and Gaza in cafes, public squares, and restaurants to watch the season finale together. In Bethlehem’s Manger Square just outside the Church of the Nativity – also known as the birthplace of Jesus Christ – Palestinians gathered to watch Yacoub Shaheen win the title on a massive public screen, including Bethlehem’s mayor. Palestinians rejoiced at the announcement, jumping up and down, waving the Palestinian flag, blasting Shaheen’s music, and hugging and kissing loved ones.

Congratulations to #Palestinian #YacoubShaheen from Occupied Bethlehem who won the Arab Idol tonight. And Congratulations to all #Palestine! pic.twitter.com/bcDVolSMYh

— Abbs Winston (@AbbsWinston) February 25, 2017

Born in Bethlehem to an Assyrian family, Shaheen is the son of loving parents who were there to thank the Manger Square crowd after he won. His mother, Norma Shaheen, said “Yacoub won with his voice, his education, his good manners, as well as his love for his people, Bethlehem and Palestine.”

Moments like these wins are cherished by Palestinians everywhere from the West Bank and Gaza, to the refugees in Lebanon and Jordan, to the diasporas in the U.S. and Chile. Across the world, Palestinians are celebrating Shaheen’s win as not only an accomplishment for a talented individual, but as a major stride for Palestinians everywhere. For many, Arab Idol is not only a singing competition, it is emblematic of national and cultural pride in a region that is so often confused as “troubled” by the international community.

By winning, Shaheen has instantly become another symbol for Palestinian resilience. No matter how difficult the occupation and blockades become, or how diminishing the peace process feels, Palestine will forever exist in history, culture, people, and even singing competitions.