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Saturday, October 17, 2009

PalArabs upset that Al Jazeera distorted their national anthem

I am not quite sure exactly what happened, but Al Jazeera ended a report about Hamas with a rendition of the Palestinian Arab "national" anthem that was somehow distorted, causing much gnashing of teeth and claims that it was "perverted."

The lyrics of the anthem are, as one would expect, filled with violence and promises of vengeance:

CHORUS
My country, my country
My country, my land, land of my ancestors
My country, my country
My country, my people, people of perpetuity

With my determination, my fire and the volcano of my revenge
With the longing in my blood for my land and my home
I have climbed the mountains and fought the wars
I have conquered the impossible, and crossed the frontiers
Chorus

With the resolve of the winds and the fire of the guns
And the determination of my nation in the land of struggle
Palestine is my home, Palestine is my fire,
Palestine is my revenge and the land of endurance
Chorus

By the oath under the shade of the flag
By my land and nation, and the fire of pain
I will live as a fida'i*, I will remain a fida'i,
I will end as a fida'i - until my country returns
Chorus

  • fida'i = one who risks his life voluntarily; one who sacrifices himself; hence the word fedayeen.
Now, who could possibly be the objects of this "revenge"?

I guess that Jews are major characters in more than one "national" anthem!