Sunday, July 1, 2007

Palestinian Children


I saw this recent article in my local paper a few days ago. Apparently this mickey mouse-like character committed suicide on an episode for Palestinian children. I think it goes to show how far the culture of violence and martyrdom have gone in Palestine. It's a shame that neither side can come to terms with the other. How have some groups managed to get over this, while others cannot? No doubt much of this has to do with context. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is about much more than a matter about Palestinian soveriegnty. Its links to political debate in the US, Iran, Europe and the rest of the Middle East make it much more difficult to find a solution. I think its pretty clear however that there is certainly a need for a solution before children brought up watching such rubbish come to perpetuate the conflict. Palestinian children deserve better, and both sides, along with their backers, are responsible for their fate.



On a slightly different note, the usage of such an iconic American figure is pretty ironic given the attitudes of Hamas. Another case of appropriating American culture in the postcolonial world?

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