Palestinians mourn hero's defeat in pop contest

SALFIT, West Bank (Reuters) - Thousands of Palestinians gathered at a West Bank park, defying Islamic militant disapproval, in the hope their pop idol would become the first Palestinian to win an Arab song contest.


But an audible sigh could be heard among the more than 4,000 fans watching a giant video screen in the West Bank city of Salfit on Sunday as Ammar Hassan, 27, lost to a Libyan singer, Ayman al-A'tar in the "Super Star" contest beamed from Lebanon.


For many Palestinians, the prospect of Hassan, a music graduate of West Bank's al-Najah University, winning the competition promised a welcome respite from the conflict with Israel.


Their hopes soared when Hassan was pronounced a semifinalist two weeks ago. But some 3.2 million viewers worldwide decided otherwise on Sunday, choosing al-A'tar, who garnered 54 percent of votes, over Ammar, who won 46 percent.


"I am really sad that Ammar lost," said Umm Shadi, 46, one of the disappointed fans who filed out of the park.


Yet to Ammar's father, Hassan Daqrooq, the singer was still a victor for his emergence as perhaps the biggest ever Palestinian pop singer.


"He did not lose... I am happy for my son," Daqrooq said.


Hassan was among 6,000 amateurs who auditioned for "Super Star", of whom 17 were chosen. The field was later narrowed to two, Hassan and al-A'tar, a first year medical student in Libya.


Past winners have gone on to lucrative music careers.


Each week fans eliminated contestants, casting their votes by telephone, text messages and email.


Some Palestinian militants objected to the hoopla. Islamic groups said it distracted the public from a two-week-old hunger strike by some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners demanding better conditions in Israeli jails.


Hassan's mother, E'tidral Daqrooq, told Reuters she was certain that the criticism "had a big impact on voting" and had cost her son some votes.