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Music of War: A Spotlight on the Music Behind the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Writer's picture: Gunn ChariotGunn Chariot

Updated: Jan 14

Written by Noa Zeitlin



Graphics by Jesse Li
Graphics by Jesse Li


Musical artists are often inspired by the challenges and suffering of war—most recently in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Songs are used as a platform to express emotion, providing a space for both connection and hate. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has inspired impactful works such as “Prayer of the Mothers”, “It’s On Us”, and “stick of gum.”

Yael Deckelburn’s “Prayer of the Mothers” is a song about the March of Hope, where a group of over 4,000 women—both Palestinian and Israeli—rallied for peace from North Israel to Jerusalem. Despite the divisiveness of the long-standing conflict, both sides shared a singular hope: a life for future generations without the constant threat of a violent war. In “Prayer of the Mothers,” Deckelburn expresses a need for people to listen to their maternal figures and unite so that they all may live in peace. The lyrics are sung in Hebrew, Arabic, and English, emphasizing the power of unity. As the war continues to rage on, the song’s neutral perspective has been drowned out as an unrealistic expectation.

Additionally, Israeli artists Ya’akov Shimnoy, Yoav Elisai, and Raviv Kaner share a message of patriotism and hope through the song “It’s On Us,” which amassed 3 million views on YouTube. Many commenters resonated with the group’s message and articulated their support.

Another song inspired by the Israel-Palestine conflict is “stick of gum,” where Nemah Hassan sings about how her record label had recently dropped her for being pro-Palestine. The song has become an anthem for the pro-Palestine movement with over 23,000 replays on TikTok.

Although all three artists received messages of support in return from all over the world, social media also spurred hate and has done little to create realistic change. For example, in “It’s On Us,” one commenter states that they will never forgive the terrorist attacks led by Hamas against Israel on October 7th. For “stick of gum,” comments insinuated that Israel does not have a right to exist. Although many commenters write in support of a hopeful future, these negative comments undercut the messages of peace.

In order to make real change and find common ground against conflicting nations, people with different opinions must have open dialogue. It is crucial for people to share their opinions with the tools of an open mind and lead conversations about polarized issues. These dialogues may be uncomfortable, however, they are necessary to strive for a peaceful outcome between Israel and Palestine, and in future conflicts.

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