Israeli song becomes Syrian protest soundtrack

Is the Arab Spring a Zionist conspiracy? First Zenga Zenga became the anthem of the Libyan uprising, now Zini is becoming the favoured soundtrack of the Syrian opposition. Both are the creations of Israeli songwriters. The Jerusalem Post reports:



At the request of Syrian opposition leaders, Israeli singer Amir Benayoun has recorded three songs in Arabic and dedicated them to activists in the Syrian uprising. One of the songs, “Zini,” has already become a YouTube hit and serves as the soundtrack on a number of Syrian opposition leaders’ Facebook pages.

The three tracks are part of an album – also called Zini – released earlier this month on Benayoun’s label, Nevel Asor. The album’s songs, all in Arabic, are adaptations of the Book of Ecclesiastes translated with the help of Benayoun’s Algerian-born father, Maxim.

In February, “Zenga Zenga,” a pop mash-up by Israeli DJ Noy Alooshe, became an Internet sensation and the unofficial anthem of the revolt against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. That success inspired Syrian opposition leaders to ask Ayoub Kara, deputy minister for development of the Negev and Galilee, whether he could convince Benayoun to record a similar track for their own protest movement.

Kara said Benayoun (above) is well known in Syria, and that he had previously received requests from Syrian opposition figures to translate the singer’s songs into Arabic.

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