In a statement sent to the Palestine Chronicle, a PR agency representing Spotify MENA, claimed that the reason behind the removal of a popular song by famous Palestinian artist, Mohammed Assaf “was not determined by Spotify, but rather by the distributor.”
The Spotify statement, conveyed through Publicist Inc., also asserted that “we anticipate its return in the near future and apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
Palestinian singer @MohammedAssaf89 , has been censored by Spotify, particularly his song My Blood is Palestinian. It is unclear how Spotify concluded that a song that highlights the pride and honor of being Palestinian is considered a form of antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/UbYTP5NHmb
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 21, 2023
The short statement read,
“Spotify aims to offer a wide range of music on our platform, but availability may vary over time and by country. The removal of some of Mohammed Assaf’s content was not determined by Spotify, but rather by the distributor. We anticipate its return in the near future and apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
Earlier, the Palestine Chronicle and other sources reported that Spotify and Apple Music decided to remove the song ‘Ana Dammi Falastini’ (My Blood is Palestinian) by Assaf, citing allegations of antisemitism.
According to Roya News, the Palestinian singer had shared his surprise in an interview with Al-Araby al-Jadeed, after discovering that his song had been removed from both platforms.
Assaf reportedly said that he received an official email citing accusations of antisemitism as the reason for the song’s deletion.
Spotify, Apple Music Delete @MohammedAssaf89 Song ‘Ana Dammi Falastini’ https://t.co/MYPjAvnT5x via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/V7yyTXynL2
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 21, 2023
Assaf, who was born and raised in Gaza, emphasized in his Instagram stories that the song is printed in the heart of any honorable, free person.
According to Doha News, “the move by the streaming giant to remove the song came after a petition organized by pro-Zionist ‘We Believe in Israel (WBII)’ and the Board of Deputies garnered nearly 4,000 signatures.”
“For Israel, erasing Palestine and writing the Palestinian people out of the history of their own homeland has always been a strategic endeavor,” Palestinian author and editor of The Palestine Chronicle Ramzy Baroud wrote in a recent article, commenting on Israel’s decision to prevent Assaf from returning to Palestine.
“Palestinian culture has served the Palestinian people’s struggle so well. Despite Israeli occupation and apartheid, it has given Palestinians a sense of continuity and cohesion, attaching all of them to one collective sense of identity, always revolving around Palestine,” Baroud added.
UPDATE | A few days following Spotify MENA’s statement to The Palestine Chronicle that the decision to pull out the song was made by the distributor, not by the company, comments attributed to the distributor and composer Wael al-Sharqawi denied such allegations.
In comments published on his personal Facebook account and quoted in Emerat News, al-Sharqawi said that such allegations were “ridiculous” and that he had never requested for ‘Ana Dammi Falastini’ to be removed.
In turn, The Palestine Chronicle contacted Spotify MENA for clarification but received no answers.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Prosecution of Israel’s civilian & military leaders for their mendacious, malicious and criminal conduct is long overdue.
These are my opinions.
But Israel want the US govt to condemn my opinions, which is one more reason for ALL Americans to join with Israel’s millions of victims and work for Israel’s demise – in it’s present racist, Apartheid form.
It is getting more and more ridiculous that a song that glorifies one’s country can be antisemetic.