Nadene Goldfoot
I may be easily shocked these days, not agreeing with what I'm seeing on a few programs now and then being I'm 91. I was watching The View and and an Arab comic was introduced to the group. A section of SESAME STREET was shown and he slipped in some statements swiftly such as FREE PALESTINE in his comedic program that were shown, and to me that wasn't funny at all.
He's a young Arab, married, can't wait to have a child. Do young Arabs or any people in the audience have a clue as to what is meant by FREE PALESTINE?
As a Jew who writes about our history every day along with the current affairs of Israel and everyone involved in their present-day story, I take the term meaning what Arabs decided in their meeting in Kartoum, Africa in 1967 and that hasn't been changed or been erased, and that's to drive the Jews our of what was named, Palestine, and into the sea.
"At the Khartoum Conference in September 1967, following the Six-Day War, eight Arab heads of state formulated a unified stance against Israel known as the "Three Noes". The resolution formally decided against peace, recognition, or negotiations with Israel, focusing instead on reclaiming occupied territories through diplomatic, nonviolent efforts."The problem was that according to them, most all of Israel to them were occupied territories!"
What is this comic seeing as freeing Palestine? From Who? What?
First of all, The Roman Emperor Hadrian is generally credited with formally applying the name "Syria Palaestina" (Syria-Palestine) to the region in 135 CE. Following the suppression of the Bar Kokhba Jewish revolt, Hadrian aimed to break the Jewish connection to the land by renaming Judea after the ancient Philistines, the historic enemies of the Jewish people.
Up until 1917-1918, Jews and Arabs were living in the land of which the British held a 30 year mandate over. Jews also have "Palestine" written on their Passport if they were born there.
The British held a roughly 30-year administrative mandate and military rule over Palestine (including the area that became Israel) from 1917–1918 (military occupation) until May 14–15, 1948.
While military rule began after capturing the region in 1917-1918, the official League of Nations Mandate was formally assigned in 1920 and took effect in 1923, lasting until the British withdrawal in 1948.
This all brings to my mind of the children's programming in Arab countries that have shown terrible Jews, anti-Semitic drivel indoctrinating people like this comic when little as well.
"Certain children's programs, particularly on Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV, have historically used puppet characters and live-action shows to promote violent anti-Semitism, urging children to kill Israelis and hate Jews. Shows like Tomorrow's Pioneers (2007-2009) portrayed Jews as murderers and dishonest, fostering hatred and encouraging martyrdom among young viewers."
- Pioneers of Tomorrow (Al-Aqsa TV): This show featured characters like Farfur (a Mickey Mouse look-alike) and Nahoul (a bee) who were portrayed as teaching children to resist with violence, with characters often dying as "martyrs" and being described as killed by "the enemies of Allah, the Jews".
- The show is hosted by a young Saraa Barhoum and a large costumed character, who perform skits and discuss life in Palestine in a talk show fashion with call-ins from young children. Presented in a children's educational format similar to shows like Sesame Street and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Tomorrow's Pioneers teaches Islamist morals and values, periodically quoting the Hadith and Quran. According to various news outlets and western sources, the show also contains antisemitic, anti-American, and other anti-Western themes. Palestinian Media Watch has characterised the show's messages as "hostile", while others have argued that criticism of the show adds to negative stereotyping of Muslims in general.
- According to the comic, he did hear about sneaking in the Free Palestine bit as not being acceptable to some of us, but here it was again and laughed about.
- The Pope Visit: Ramy Youssef is a renowned Egyptian-American comedian and actor who was among the many international comedians to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican in June 2024.
- The Context: He discussed his experiences visiting the Vatican on various shows, sometimes in connection with Stephen Colbert, who was also present, and has often shared humorous anecdotes about his Muslim faith in conversation with Catholic figures. The View: Whoopi Goldberg, a co-host on The View, was part of the same delegation and discussed the event on the show, sharing that the Pope told them their work makes God smile.
- For your information: Approximately 2.1 million Palestinians (often referred to as Arab citizens of Israel) live in Israel as of late 2023, making up roughly 21% of the country’s population. These citizens are largely descendants of those who remained during the 1948 war and hold Israeli citizenship, although they face systemic disparities.
- Example: we Jews make up 2% of the USA population.
