Death of Ziad Rahbani: How the Arab and international press reacted

L'Orient-Le Jour

3 days ago

BEIRUT — The death of Ziad Rahbani has plunged Lebanon and the region into mourning, with international media hailing his artistic genius, sharp social critique, and lifelong support for the Palestinian cause.
The eldest son of diva Fairuz and Assi Rahbani, icons of the Lebanese music scene, died on Saturday, July 26 in Beirut, at the age of 69, after years of illness. His funeral was held Monday afternoon at the Church of the Dormition in Mhaydsé-Bickfaya, attended by political leaders and figures from the country's artistic scene.
From al-Jazeera to Libération, and through to the Washington Post and the New York Times, L'Orient-Le Jour looks back at the main headlines from the media outlets that paid tribute to Rahbani's genius and saluted a man who left his mark on contemporary Arab music and fought for the Palestinian cause.
'Lebanon and the Arab world lose one of the most important pillars of art and music'
The Qatari channel al-Jazeera lamented the passing of 'the rebellious and melancholic voice of Beirut, (...) after a long career in which [Rahbani] developed a particular artistic style combining irony and depth, rebellion and love.' According to the channel, Fairuz's son was 'one of the most outstanding figures of contemporary Arab music' who 'introduced elements of jazz and Western styles into Eastern music' and 'succeeded in developing his own style blending experimentation and identity.' 'With his departure, Lebanon and the Arab world lose one of the most important pillars of art and music.'
The Palestine Chronicle, a Palestinian publication dedicated to raising awareness of human rights, paid tribute to the 'unyielding voice of resistance and revolution' of Rahbani, calling him a 'pillar of radical music.' Describing the artist as 'a committed communist who had rallied to the Palestinian cause,' it praised 'Ziad's compassion for the poor and the oppressed, which was quickly expressed through music.' 'His works broke social taboos, violently attacking discrimination and highlighting characters from the working class,' the media outlet recalled. 'Ziad unsettled the rich, embarrassed the conservatives, and irritated the liberals, to the point where some even wished for his downfall.'
Syria and Rahbani
While Rahbani's silence on the Syrian revolution troubled some of his admirers, the Syrian site Enab Baladi, known for its opposition to ousted President Bashar al-Assad, still paid tribute to the Lebanese figure. 'He was known for his outspokenness and the vehemence of his statements, regularly criticizing Lebanese and Arab politicians and artists,' wrote the platform.
More about the artist
However, Enab Baladi criticized the artist's 'ambiguous political positions' and his 'explicit support for Hezbollah' which was fighting alongside the Assad dictatorship. But the site acknowledges that Rahbani's works 'continued to arouse interest and to be disseminated, which reflects the depth of his influence and the diversity of his audience.'
'Multi-talented artist, genius of the cultural scene'
In France, the major daily Le Monde paid tribute to the 'multi-talented artist, genius of the Lebanese and Arab cultural scene.' 'He had become immensely popular by portraying Lebanese society in plays with biting humor,' the newspaper wrote, referring to Rahbani's 'provocative spirit' and 'leftist commitment.' 'A fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause, he championed resistance against Israel and expressed his admiration for Hassan Nasrallah,' the Hezbollah leader assassinated in September 2024 in an 'Israeli' strike, it noted.
While Le Monde reminded that the great artist had 'sided with the Damascus regime,' which earned him significant criticism, it observed that this 'in no way diminished the almost heritage-like status of his work.'
Le Monde then discusses the secularism of the late artist, 'a scourge of sectarianism (…)', explaining that 'it is also for this reason that his work has transcended generations. (…) For a large part of today's youth, notably those who participated in the anti-system demonstrations of autumn 2019, he embodied the hope of a country freed from communal shackles.'
'To say that Lebanon is mourning him is an understatement. Yet, despite being iconic, Ziad Rahbani (…) was not the consensual type, a Communist Party member always quick to highlight the clan-based excesses of a country subject to deals among the well-connected,' wrote the left-leaning French daily Libération, referring to the passing of a 'legend of Lebanese music who placed his art of musical hybridization and staging at the service of political satire in his country.'
In 1998, the artist was interviewed by Libération on the occasion of a concert in Paris. 'He didn't bother with circumlocution: This country does not exist. It produces nothing, people aren't used to working. It's like a bad photocopy. Like Taiwan, they copy everything: movies, sex. Lebanon is a Third World country,' Ziad Rahbani replied.
RFI (Radio France Internationale) in turn paid tribute to 'one of the greatest artists' of Lebanon, known 'for his plays that have become cult classics,' 'for inventing oriental jazz,' and 'revolutionizing the world of Lebanese song and theater.' ' A rebellious figure on the Lebanese cultural scene, he leaves behind a profoundly engaged body of work,' notes the French media outlet, whose news bulletins are broadcast on Radio Liban.
'A Lebanon at war with itself'
Across the Atlantic, the New York Times recalled that Rahbani's songs 'forged a new sound for the Arab world and his plays sharply criticized the political corruption of his country.' 'Lebanese who attained adulthood during the war, like Rahbani, saw in his melancholic and sarcastic lyrics the brutality and contradictions of their small eastern Mediterranean country as it was tearing itself apart. He remained much loved by later generations of Lebanese, who grew up in the shadow of the war as sectarian divides, corruption, and economic stagnation took over Lebanese life,' the NYT recalled.
The Washington Post in turn praised Rahbani's 'irreverent satire, uncompromising political critique, and jazz-influenced compositions that reflected the chaos and contradictions of a Lebanon at war with itself.' The daily described the artist's musical work as 'deeply rooted in the traumatic events of sectarian conflict, bloody street fighting between rival militias, and three years of violent Israeli occupation after the 1982 invasion.'