This song is a personal and political reckoning — a lyrical journey between Zurich and Palestine, between comfort and catastrophe. Written from the perspective of a Swiss artist who has lived and worked in the West Bank, it confronts the dissonance of privilege: snow falls in Zurich while bombs drop in Gaza.

The lyrics reflect on settler colonialism, Western complicity, and the hollow safety of European passports. It challenges feel-good politics and calls for solidarity that moves beyond hashtags. At its core, the song is a tribute to Palestinian resilience, a refusal to forget, and a demand to see — through the window, into the heart of ongoing injustice.

Al-Aqsa was released as part of my 3-track-EP “Sumud” in August 2024. The project is dedicated to my friends from Youth of Sumud in Masafer Yatta, a true embodiment of Palestinian resilience and resistance.

Al Aqsa – MzumO

English Translation

I sit in the gym, through the window I see al-Aqsa
In my twenties, I lived like a Pasha
Always passing through, always just a guest
Always so restless, always just here for a rest
I’m gone like the West’s mask
What do you want to preserve from the past?
Kutti was never cool, that boomer is too comfy
Thinks he’s edgy, but his mindset is country
No country for real criticism
Yoldas and Sero are the best thing in Switzerland
Büsser on TV, but bro, I ain’t laughing
What Comedymänner? That’s an intellectual turnoff
Helvetia needs water for the roses
Hair in the soup, and spit in the sauce
Go check the skeletons in the closets
‘Cause the Yenish kids don’t want to stay a footnote
Pro Juventute makes them sedentary
Until the 60s they stole them from their parents
Check the blindspots — the world’s not a stew pot
I want real change, not just a mic drop
SRF Cypher, Tabula Rasa
But snow falls in Zurich, and bombs fall in Gaza
What will I change with just some talk?
Take my privilege and go to Masafer Yatta
Hold my passport like a shield
Settler thinks twice before he kills me
Read Mbembe, Read Agamben
But two weeks here, and you’ve understood it
Who are the Others? Are there even Others?
Europe is the flood, and the rest is Atlantis
Maybe Frontex comes before you see land
Ask myself: are we going to Langstrasse on Saturday?
Where do you wanna go party? Who really cares tho?
Land in Kloten and feel so empty
She looks me in the eyes, and see right through me
Body is here, but my mind’s still down there
Flashbacks of settlers with assault rifles
I walk through Zurich, as if I had no purpose anymore
See some Yuppies eating ice cream at Tellhof
Lips so dry, even Labello won’t help
I sit at Xenix, think about Sami
Did the military court already fuck him or not?
My homies are human rights defenders
I see your clique and wonder — could you be more embarrassing?
Your politics are a feel-good bubble
I’m here to blow air into the fire
What’s been pushed aside finally needs some space
I look at the window and see al-Aqsa

 

Al Aqsa Original (Swiss German)

Sitz im Gym gsehn dur d’Fenster al-Aqsa

Ide 20er so glebt winen Pasha

Immer uf de Durchreis, immer nume Gast da

Immer nume rastlos, immer nume rasch da

Ich bin weg so wie d’Maske vom Weste

Was wetsch na erhalte vo gester?

Kutti nie cool gsi, de Boomer too comfy

Er meint er isch edgy, doch Mindset wie Country

No Country für echti Kritik

Yoldas und Sero sind s’best ade Schwiiz

Büsser im TV doch Bruder ich lach nöd

Was Comedymänner? Das gеistige Abturn

Helvetia brucht Wassеr für d’Rose

Haar ide Suppe und Spuck ide Sosse

Im Cheller go checke die Liiche

Wel die jenische Chind wend ke Fuessnote bliibe

Pro Juventute macht sie sesshaft

Bis ide 60er de Eltere weggnah

Check die Blindspots, d’Welt ken Eintopf

Ich wet Verändrig und nöd nur en Micdrop

SRF Cypher mach Tabula Rasa

Doch Schnee gheit in Züri und Bombe in Gaza

Was wetich change da mit chli Palava?

Nimme mis privilege und gahn uf Masafer Yatta

Hebe min Pass wines Schutzschild

Siedler denkt zweimal bevor er mich umbringt

Lise Mbembe, lise Agamben

Doch 2 Wuche da und du heschs eich verstande

Wer sind di andre? Gits überhaupt andri?

Europa isch d’Fluet und de Rest nur Atlantis

Vilich chunt Frontex bevor du a Land bisch

Frög mi gömmer ad Langstrass am Samstig?

Wo wetsch in Usgang? Who really care tho

Landen in Chloote und fühl mi so leer scho

Luegt mer id Auge, sie gseht dur mich dure

Körper isch da doch min Chopf isch na dune

Flashbacks zu Siedler mit Sturmgwehr

Lauf dur Züri als het ich kein Grund meh

Gsehne paar Yuppies, Glacé im Tellhof

Lippe so troche da hilft ke Labello

Sitzen im Xenix, denken an Sami

Hets Militärgricht ihn scho gfiggt oder nanig?

Homies sind Menscherechtsverteidiger

Ich gseh dini Clique frög gahts eich na peinlicher?

Eui Politics e Wohlfühloase

Ich bin da zum is Füür mal chli Luft ineblase

Das wo verdrängt wird muss endlich Platz ha

Luege dur s’Fenster und gsehnen al-Aqsa