Do we like Mohammed Assaf?
Our score: 7 out of 10. A clean record on harm and a decent one on character, held back because the sources say nothing either way on LGBTQ+ issues.
Assaf was born in Libya to Palestinian parents and grew up in the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza, where he went to a UNRWA school. In 2013 he won the second season of Arab Idol, which turned a kid from a refugee camp into a national symbol almost overnight.
The fame came with a job. He served as UNRWA's youth ambassador from 2013 to 2017, and he has talked publicly about wanting to give back to Gaza, including a 2014 plan for an arts centre for young performers there. His own take on his generation was blunt: “My generation is frustrated.”
The biggest stoush is political, and where you land depends on how you read it. In October 2020 Israel revoked the entry permit he'd held as an UNRWA ambassador. Israeli MP Avi Dichter said it followed video clips calling for a struggle against Israel, while Palestinian officials called it incitement against Palestinian culture. Assaf said the ban “won't stop me from loving my country”. Middle East Eye also noted he'd faced accusations of condoning the Israel-UAE deal after playing Dubai.
In 2023 his anthem “Dammi Falastini” vanished from Spotify and other platforms. Spotify said the distributor made the call, not Spotify, and said it expected the song back soon. Assaf's response was calm: “That's fine.” The song returned after a social media campaign, but who was behind the takedown stayed disputed.
On the harm test, we found nothing nasty. In his own words he has talked about peace and unity (“Palestinians don't want war, they are tired of fighting”) and about wanting Hamas and Fatah to come together. We found no statement from him on LGBTQ+ people, good or bad, so this is a pass on what's there, not a tick for being an ally. Worth knowing before you buy a ticket.
On character, the record is quiet. There are no court cases, and no credible mistreatment claims turned up. The trouble that has found him came from governments and platforms because of his politics, not from anything he did to other people.