Patriotic Palestinian song 'Ana Dammi Falastini' back on Spotify after removal

'Ana Dammi Falastini' ("My Blood is Palestinian"), a patriotic song by Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf, is back on Spotify and Apple Music after briefly disappearing from the music streaming services over the weekend.

There were allegations that the Palestinian anthem was removed because it supposedly "incites against Israel", although Spotify denied it had pulled the song, saying it was an issue related to the distributor.

I posted a tweet yesterday about the current news of censoring a popular Palestinian song “ana dammi falastini” (my blood is Palestinian) on spotify, & it turned out likely to be a distribution issue. The song is back online now.

I’ve deleted the likely inaccurate tweet.

— Tameem | تميم (@TameeOliveFern) May 23, 2023

"Spotify aims to offer a wide range of music on our platform, but availability may vary over time and by country," it said in a statement.

"The removal of some of Mohammed Assaf’s content was not determined by Spotify, but rather by the distributor. We anticipate its return in the near future and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

The song, released in 2015, is often played or sung at events marking Palestinian culture.

Assaf, who hails from the besieged Gaza Strip, rose to fame after winning the second season of the Lebanon-based singing contest 'Arab Idol' in 2013.