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Gaza's Hamas Rulers Ban Palestinian Singing Competition
(AP-Washington Post) Organizers of the Palestinian version of "American Idol" said Thursday that Gaza's Hamas rulers have banned residents from participating in the popular reality show. Hamas told them the program is "indecent." "This is more serious than Hamas just killing fun in Gaza - they are limiting the freedoms of the people, according to their whims," said Alaa al-Abed, chief producer of the "New Star" program, now in its third year. Hamas permits male barbershop-style singing groups that do not use musical instruments and sing of the glory of Islam and of fighting Israel. Young, prepubescent girls also perform in their own singing groups, but teenage girls and women are never seen singing in public.