Ammon News - By Hani Hazaimeh/ Jordan Times

AMMAN — As Palestinians around the world rejoiced over Gaza wedding singer Mohammad Assaf's win Saturday on the popular talent Arab Idol, some in Jordan said the victory was blown out of proportion.

Although some saw in his voice a tool to send a message of determination and hope from the Palestinians, particularly the Gazan people, to the world, and a new form of resistance, others thought the whole was a waste of time and said it aims to fragment the efforts to resist the Israeli occupation.

In posts on Facebook and Twitter, some Jordanians said the overblown reactions to Assaf's win make him look like he is Palestine's "new liberator and saviour".

"Now life should be better and Israel will remove the years-long siege it has been imposing on Gaza after this victorious win," one user wrote sarcastically on Facebook.

Others opposed the idea of the from a religious point of view, saying it was against Islam to be distracted by decadent consumerist culture and abandon the fight against occupation.

But many Jordanians took to the streets in major cities after the 23-year-old wedding singer's win was announced on the Saudi-owned MBC satellite channel on Saturday night.

Car convoys toured the streets of Amman, Zarqa and Irbid, where the majority of Jordanians of Palestinian origin reside, honking and waving the Palestinian flag.

Some social media users were shocked by the criticism aimed at Assaf and those rejoicing his victory.

"Why should we be denied happiness?" one Facebook user wondered.

"Can't we have a day of joy in our life? Do we have to be in misery and suffering for the rest of our lives?" another asked.

"To those who are attacking Assaf, what have you done for the Palestinians cause for the past six decades?" the Facebook user added.

Born in Misrata, Libya, Assaf was named a goodwill ambassador for peace by UNRWA. He was also offered a position with "diplomatic standing" by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Assaf's journey from Gaza to Egypt to audition for Arab Idol was not an easy one, according to what he said on the show. He said it took him two days to reach Egypt by car due to complications on the border.

"When I arrived at the hotel where the auditions were taking place, the doors were closed and they did not accept anymore auditions, so I jumped over the wall but I could not get a number to audition," he said on the show.

"I sat helplessly in the hall where other contestants were waiting for their turn and started singing... then a Palestinian contestant, Ramadan Abu Nahel, who was waiting to audition, heard me and gave me his number," Assaf said.

"He came to me and said 'I know I won't reach the finals but you will'."