Israeli singer vs. Syrian president

Amir Benayoun records songs encouraging anti-Assad protestors. Dozens of CDs delivered to Syrian opposition representatives in Turkey

If you're looking for the Israeli aspect of the deadly riots in Syria, you may find it in material handed over to members of the Syrian opposition by Israeli Knesset representatives last week.

No, we're not talking about weapons of bombs made by the Israeli military industry, but rather about ammunition aimed at raising the Syrian rebels' spirits: Songs recorded by Israeli singer Amir Benayoun in Arabic.

Knesset Member Ayoob Kara (Likud), the deputy minister for the development of the Negev and the Galilee, has been in close contact with Syrian opposition members for a long time.

In one of their conversations with Kara, the Syrians expressed their enthusiasm over the song "Zenga Zenga", which was created by Israeli musician Noy Alooshe and became the unofficial anthem of the Libyan rebels.

The MK promised them similar Israeli aid. He turned to singer Amir Benayoun, who the Syrian opposition members were familiar with, and inquired whether he would be willing to send protest songs to Israel's northern neighbors in their own language in order to encourage the revolutionists.

Benayoun accepted the offer and began composing songs based on the book of Ecclesiastes. He added his own music and recorded the songs for the Syrian rebels.

Some of the songs have even been added to an international Arabic-language album Benayoun is about to release, which will be called "Zini" after one of the songs sent to Syrian to help topple President Bashar Assad.

MK Kara last week took dozens of CDs with him to Turkey, where he met with representatives of 15 Syrian opposition organizations. He handed them the collection of protest songs they ordered, which they told him they would try to turn into revolution hits.

Kara said the Syrian opposition members were very familiar with Benayoun's songs and noted that many in Syria listen to Israeli singer.

Amir Benayoun told the Yedioth Ahronoth daily last week, "I was happy to learn that music can help, if only by a way of raising spirits, to advance revolutionary processes in the world.

"This just goes to prove that music can be more than just lyrics and a melody. Universal texts like the book of Ecclesiastes written by King Solomon can touch everyone."