Lebanese singer Elissa declined a Palestinian keffiyeh that an audience member tossed onto the stage during her performance at Tunisia's Carthage International Festival on Saturday night, prompting divided reactions online about solidarity, political pressure, and artistic freedom.
After someone in the audience threw the scarf onto the stage while Elissa was performing, she picked it up, examined it briefly, and tossed it back toward the audience. She continued singing without pause or comment.
The clip circulated rapidly on X and other platforms. Pro-Palestinian accounts criticized her for what they characterized as rejecting solidarity with Palestinian civilians. Other observers, including pro-Israel accounts, praised the moment as an artist refusing to be pressured into a political gesture mid-performance.
Eliisa is a Lebanese Christian who has previously expressed solidarity with Palestinian civilians and has worn or held a keffiyeh during performances in other countries, including concerts in Malmö in 2024 and Dubai in 2025. At the same time, she has spoken critically about Hezbollah and Lebanese internal political issues, positions that complicate any simple reading of her stance on regional dynamics.
