Hatikvah: A Controversial Arab Folk Music Version of the Israeli National Anthem

Released in honor of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, this controversial version of Israel’s national anthem was produced by Israeli artist, Daniel Saadon, in a traditional Arabic musical style. Criticized by some as cultural appropriation and celebrated by others as an example of how music can bring unity, the song raises questions of how Israel’s Arab citizens can relate to the lyrics of their national anthem, which expresses the eternal Jewish yearning for the Land of Israel and Jerusalem. To see a short news segment highlighting the discussions of this song on social media, see the following video from i24News