RAMALLAH, June 23, 2013 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday described Mohammad Assaf’s winning of the Arab Idol title on Saturday as an example of Palestinian youth’s creativity and distinguished abilities when they are given the chance to express their people’s suffering.

During a meeting with Abbas and Algerian novelist and critic Wasini al-Araj in the presidential head quarters in Ramallah, Abbas stressed that culture and art are the true measures of the progress and advancement of the nations and a proof of the extent of love and peace among humans.

Abbas assured his ultimate support to culture and art, which transferred the suffering of the Palestinian people under the Israeli occupation to the world as well as gave hope of a better future and of an independent Palestinian state for the Palestinian people.

For his part, al-Araj told WAFA that Assaf’s winning of the Arab Idol title proves the Palestinian desire to co-exist and compete.

He said that Assaf’s winning also proves the Palestinian people’s ability to achieve unity despite all the difficult circumstances they are going through, “Which I clearly saw during my current visit to Palestine,” he said.

Mohammed Assaf, who is a Palestinian refugee of Khan Yunis camp in the Gaza Strip, is a singer well known for being the winner of Arab Idol, a Beirut, Lebanon-based talent show hosted on the MBC network.

He was given the nickname Asaroukh (The Rocket) by Lebanese singer and Arab Idol judge Ragheb Alama.

Assaf was named a goodwill ambassador for youth by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). He was also offered a position of Palestine goodwill ambassador with diplomatic standing by Abbas.

T.R./F.R.