Daily Times

US singer Justin Bieber was spotted wearing keffiyeh, an icon of Palestinian solidarity against their fight with Israel.

The 30-year-old pop star donned what seemed to be a red-and-white keffiyeh around his head along with a heather grey hooded sweatshirt while driving in Los Angeles, US media outlets reported. It is noteworthy that the patterned piece is a symbol of solidarity with Palestine, facing unrelenting strikes from Israeli forces.

His appearance in keffiyeh sparked an online debate with several terming it as his support for the people in Gaza while others suggested that the move was to distract people from his past ties with music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs who faces allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

Justin Bieber had previously shared – and then deleted – a post in support of Israel shortly after Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023.

The US singer has since remained largely silent about the Israeli bombardment of Gaza which has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians including 16,500 children. Pertinent to note that Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Bieber welcomed their son Jack Blues in August.

Meanwhile, reports said that the singer was attempting to shut out mounting speculation about his connection with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Following Combs’s arrest on September 16, sources closer to Justin Bieber said that the singer was not handling the news well as he was completely thrown off by the allegations.

“Bieber is so disturbed by the Diddy news and is unwilling to process it or discuss it so he has shut off,” the publication quoted a source as saying. “So many people who helped to make him who he is were very close to Diddy and it has completely thrown him.”

Bieber collaborated with the music producer a few times and has referred to him as his “brother” in the past. The “Never Say Never” recently collaborated with Combs for his most recent album “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” which was released in October last year.