“The Urgent Call of Palestine”

FEATURING IMAN HUSAIN - Actor Ramy Youssef recently said the words “Free Palestine” on live television as part of his Saturday Night Live monologue. And film director Jonathan Glazer in his Oscars’ acceptance speech denounced the use of Judaism to justify the genocide in Gaza. 

The issue of justice for Palestine has not always been welcomed in the arts. But, as Youssef and Glazer demonstrated, the tide is slowly turning. Part of that tide is the reissue of a protest song performed in 1972 by Egyptian-born Palestinian singer Zeinab Shaath. 

The master copy of the song, called “The Urgent Call of Palestine” was thought to be lost to Israeli theft for decades. Writing about its resurrection at In These Times magazine is Iman Husain.