To Fairuz, Em Ziad
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L'Orient-Le Jour
12 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israeli army spokesperson pays tribute to Ziad Rahbani
BEIRUT — The day after the announcement of the death of the great Lebanese artist Ziad Rahbani, whose vision, innovation, criticism, irony, and genius have been praised since Saturday by the political and artistic worlds, new reactions have poured in on social media and in the media. Among these wide-ranging tributes, which have managed to bring together around one figure parties that seemed irreconcilable, one stands out as a discordant note: the tribute paid to the composer, musician, and playwright by the Arabic-speaking spokesperson of the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee. Rahbani was famously opposed to the Israeli occupation, even moving in leftist circles advocating for resistance against Israel. Hezbollah also paid tribute to him on Saturday, following in the footsteps of virtually all other parties on the Lebanese political spectrum. "Lebanon bids farewell to the great artist Ziad Rahbani, a phenomenon of free spirit in a country that has always been a prisoner of words and truth," Avichay Adraee wrote in Arabic on X. He paid tribute to the artist who "spoke the truth when everyone else was silent" and lamented the "loss of an icon" and "the voice of a free conscience, the pulse of the streets, and the mockery of an intellectual who was never afraid of the truth." Israel was his 'number one enemy' Under the post, hundreds of comments appeared, reminding the spokesperson that the late artist saw himself as a 'resistant' and that Israel was his 'number one enemy.' "Let's not forget Ziad Rahbani's famous statements about resisting Israel, which you're trying to brush aside," one user accused, denouncing an attempt to "get closer" to the Lebanese people by using a figure as unifying as the singer. Along with the message, the user posted a phrase said to have been spoken by the artist, stating that it is impossible to "build a state with Israel at the gates": "You cannot have freedom and justice while they make you choose between your security and your dignity," he allegedly added. This sentence, whose origin was not immediately clear, has been repeatedly cited on resistance-supporting accounts and social media to pay homage to Rahbani since Saturday morning. Witticisms that became 'popular proverbs' Moreover, other tributes have been paid to the late artist, notably from former president Michel Aoun, who spoke of the "painful loss of a creator who transformed our suffering into laughter, our bitter reality into a stage where the laughter of the Lebanese resounded in the face of the harsh truth. "Your language has entered the collective memory and has become popular proverbs valid through the ages," he added on X. Jack Lang, former French culture minister and current president of the Institute of the Arab World, recalled the "son of the legendary Fairouz," who "cast a tender and sharp gaze upon the world, blending satire, poetry, and disenchantment," and "gave voice to silences and music to anger."
L'Orient-Le Jour
15 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Akkar village Rahbeh pays tribute to Ziad Rahbani
BEIRUT — Lebanese musical icon Fairuz, accompanied by her daughter Rima, received condolences for the passing of her son Ziad Rahbani, who died on Saturday at the age of 69 and was laid to rest on Monday amid a wave of posthumous tributes and a rare nationwide outpouring of emotion. At 90 years old, Fairuz bravely faced the unspeakable grief of losing her eldest child and attended the funeral of the artist with whom she had shared a rich artistic collaboration, welcoming mourners at the Church of the Dormition in Mhaydseh-Bickfaya. Among those who came to offer their condolences was former President Michel Aoun, who praised 'the immense legacy the late artist leaves behind, which will be remembered by history.' He added, 'We are all on the same path, and we will meet again one day.' MP Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), also attended. 'Ziad spoke on behalf of justice and rejected injustice. He stood against everything that was false, and no one can help but admire his theatre,' he said. Former minister Sleiman Frangieh was also present. Reflecting Ziad Rahbani's popularity beyond Lebanon's borders, Qatar's Minister of Culture, Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday at the head of a delegation to personally extend condolences to the Rahbani family. Many artists were also part of the crowd gathered to comfort the family. Among them was renowned Lebanese actor and playwright Georges Khabbaz, who said that artists of his generation are 'students of Ziad.' A day earlier, First Lady Neemat Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussaoui, and many others attended the final farewell in Bickfaya. Tribute from Rahbeh, in Akkar In parallel, the town of Rahbeh in the Akkar region paid tribute to the late musician and composer. The event was organized by the association "Rahbeh Unites Us," in cooperation with the local municipality and scout groups, according to our North Lebanon correspondent. The tribute took place in the village square — believed to be the Rahbani family's ancestral home — near a mural depicting Ziad Rahbani, his mother Feyrouz, and his father, legendary composer Assi Rahbani. The event concluded with a memorial mass in honor of the artist.
LBCI
18 hours ago
- LBCI
Lebanon's culture minister hails Ziad Rahbani as ‘exceptional talent'
Lebanon's Culture Minister Ghassan Salame described Lebanese composer Ziad Rahbani as 'an exceptional talent,' and a vital part of his family's artistic legacy in the Arab world and the Levant. Salame told LBCI that Rahbani 'was aware of the weaknesses and shortcomings of Lebanese society and dared to highlight them.' He added that the ministry places itself at the full disposal of the late Ziad Rahbani's heirs, as they hold the intellectual rights to his work. 'If they wish to preserve and honor his legacy, they have every right to do so,' Salame said, adding that if the family entrusts this task to the state, the ministry is fully prepared and willing to take it on with the necessary resources.
