Syrian Musician Glorifies Terrorism

The Washington Times contacted Aluma Dankowitz of the Middle East Media Research Institute for a translation of lyrics from a song on Nour Mehana’s latest album. The Times reported yesterday that Mehana, a popular Syrian singer whose band provoked fears of group bomb making amongst passengers and crew on a flight between Detroit and Los Angeles on June 29, has a song titled, “Um El Shaheed,” or “Mother of a Martyr,” which glorifies Palestinian suicide bombing of Israeli targets:

“The song tells the story of a woman who mourned her son's death until she realized that “he died for a good cause and he should be glorified for what he did,” said Miss Dankowitz, who translated the song for The Washington Times. Mr. Mehana, widely known as the Syrian Wayne Newton, sings to the mother that her son's goals are heroic and she should be happy he is dead.

“The song opens with the depiction of a mother crying over her son. He has said goodbye to his friends and family and is not going to come back. He went with a weapon in one palm and his heart in another palm and he's not going to come back,” Miss Dankowitz said. “He went to fight to free Palestine, Golan Heights and South Lebanon.””

I am tempted to question the sort of culture that encourages such depraved lyrics, but then a single artist is not necessarily representative of a culture. Instead, I wonder aloud, given Mehana’s apparent interest in freedom and self determination, where are his songs calling for the people of Lebanon to free themselves from occupation by Syria?