Last week, Spotify Wrapped arrived on the Swedish streaming app, revealing our annual musical journey and preferences. Instagram Stories subsequently lit up with the collective sharing of our top artists, favorite genres, and the total number of minutes we spent enjoying music. Yet, amid this hotly-anticipated celebration, a disturbing song advocating for the mass murder of Palestinians, is gaining major traction in some parts of the world.
One particular song, Harbu Darbu by Ness Ve Stilla, has risen to the top of charts on platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, and other streaming services in Israel. In the initial 20 seconds of the track, set against a drill beat, the musical duo express disdain for those supporting a free Palestine, stating, “Who do you think you are screaming for a free Palestine, spit on you sons of Amalek, Let’s go! Sabotage!”
Here, “Amalek,” also previously cited by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to justify the killings of people in Gaza, refers to an ancient tribe portrayed in the Jewish holy book, the Torah, as the ultimate enemy of the Jewish people, whom the song vows to obliterate.
The barbaric nature of the track persists as it glorifies the killings and displacement of millions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, with lyrics like, “Writing the names on the shells for the kid in Gaza.” The song further escalates by targeting influential figures who have been staunch and vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause such as Bella Hadid, Mia Khalifa, and Dua Lipa, proclaiming, “Every c**** last day will come, wait ‘till we rain on you b*****.” Additionally, the lyrics threaten, “All the IDF units are coming for a Harbu Darbu over their head.”
“Harbu Darbu,” which is also the title of the track, translates to “swords and strikes” or “wars and strikes” depending on the Arabic dialect used. In Hebrew slang, it conveys the idea of unleashing havoc on Israel’s opponents.
As of now, Israel has killed 21,000+ Palestinians. This number includes those presumed dead under the rubble. Israel continues to relentlessly bomb every end of the Gaza strip, leaving almost 1.9 million Palestinians— that’s 80% of Gaza’s population— displaced, with nowhere to go. Palestinians are now suffering from starvation, viruses left untreated, dehydration, and in unsuitable living shelters— and Ness Ve Stilla’s lyrics champion this.
