Hamas 'Mickey Mouse' calls for Muslim world domination
 
Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 08:56:00 -0500 (CDT)


(Uh, oh.  Trademark infringement? Time to sue? Where are the lawyers when 
you need them? Then again, how could anybody but the far right Hamas (one of 
the parties to the "single state solution" according to some folks at the 
upcoming UFPJ demo) take this seriously. This is weird and comical though in 
a weird kind of way, if you know what I mean. MG)

http://signonsandiego.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=SignOnSanDiego.com+%3E+News+%3E+World+--+Hamas+%27Mickey+Mouse%27+calls+for+Muslim+world+domination+on+Palestinian+children%27s+show&expire=&urlID=22256629&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.signonsandiego.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F20070508-1422-hamas-mickeymouse.html&partnerID=621

More World news

Hamas 'Mickey Mouse' calls for Muslim world domination
on Palestinian children's show

By Diaa Hadid ASSOCIATED PRESS

2:22 p.m. May 8, 2007

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Hamas militants have enlisted a figure bearing
a strong resemblance to Mickey Mouse to broadcast their message of
Islamic domination and armed resistance to their most impressionable
audience - children.

A giant black-and-white rodent - named "Farfour," or "butterfly," but
unmistakably a rip-off of the Disney character - does his high-pitched
preaching against the U.S. and Israel on a children's show each Friday
on Al-Aqsa TV, a station run by Hamas. The militant group, sworn to
Israel's destruction, shares power in the Palestinian government.

"You and I are laying the foundation for a world led by Islamists,"
Farfour squeaked on a recent episode of the show, which is called
"Tomorrow's Pioneers."

"We will return the Islamic community to its former greatness, and
liberate Jerusalem, God willing, liberate Iraq, God willing, and
liberate all the countries of the Muslims invaded by the murderers."

Children call in to the show, many singing Hamas anthems about fighting
Israel.

Palestinian Media Watch, an Israeli organization that monitors
Palestinian media, said the Mickey Mouse lookalike takes "every
opportunity to indoctrinate young viewers with teachings of Islamic
supremacy, hatred of Israel and the U.S., and support of 'resistance,'
the Palestinian euphemism for terror."

Israeli officials denounced the program Tuesday.

David Baker, an official in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office, said
"there is nothing comic about inciting young generations of
Palestinians to hate Israelis."

A spokeswoman from Walt Disney Co.'s headquarters in Burbank did not
immediately return messages asking for comment about the use of the
Disney-like character.

Yehia Moussa, a Hamas leader in the movement's Gaza Strip base, denied
inciting children against Jews. "Our problem is not with the Jews. Our
problem is with the (Israeli) occupation and the occupiers," he said.

The television station would not comment.

A Gaza-based psychologist said the program proved that the culture of
glorifying violence had penetrated mainstream society in the
Palestinian territories, where dreams of Islamic dominion and animosity
toward the U.S. and Israel are widespread.

"It's the fault of both (Israel and the Palestinians)," said Samir
Zakkout, of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program. "There's been a
collapse of values. If I can kill my enemy, I can kill my brother."

The program is opposed by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corp., which is
controlled by Hamas' political rival - the Fatah movement of
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"I don't think it's professional or even humane to use children in such
harsh political programs," said Basem Abu Sumaya, head of the
Palestinian Broadcasting Corp. "Children's nationalist spirit must be
developed differently."

Hamas loyalists launched the Al Aqsa satellite channel last year.
Bearded young men read the news and Islamic music is layered over
footage of masked militants firing rockets into Israel. The channel
also broadcasts talk shows, programs about the disabled and cartoons.

In addition, Hamas loyalists run at least five news Web sites, one
newspaper - launched just last week - and a radio station.

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