A Muslim singer who moved many viewers in France with her rendition of a Leonard Cohen song on “The Voice” left the television show following the discovery of her conspiracy theories involving terrorist attacks.
Mennel Ibtissem’s departure was announced Thursday, a week after anti-racism groups, including Jewish ones, began calling for her dismissal over remarks she wrote on Facebook in 2016. In those post she suggested that the authorities, the media or both were making up reports that Muslims were behind terrorist attacks.
“I am anguished by the tensions that have come up in recent days,” Ibtissem, who in 2015 sang a pro-Palestinian propaganda song denouncing Israeli attacks on “mothers, little sisters and little brothers,” said in a video announcing her decision to leave. “I never wanted to offend anyone.”