Hamas 'Mickey Mouse' Preaches Resistance

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."

Well it will take years to grow into the type of Pioneers that Bush has but they're on the right page now. Hey, the merchandising of Star Spangled virtues has done well for many. I say they are just using the the strategy that has worked so well in America and market the tar out of a brand and tie it to behavior. With enough superheroes you can even get people to swallow swill with flavorants and buy an antacid to keep it down. Capitalism at its best, target kids.

We are talking about Gaza, that is under Israel control, so at least get your insane propaganda correct. Blame Sharon or Levi Eshkol the Prime Minister during the Six Day War or are your fingers glued to that 4 letter word, BUSH.

We are talking about Gaza, that is under Israel control, so at least get your insane propaganda correct. Blame Sharon or Levi Eshkol the Prime Minister during the Six Day War or are your fingers glued to that 4 letter word, BUSH.

Umm....what do Sharon, Eshkol, or any Israeli have to do with that creepy, creepy mouse? Clearly, as the article states, spewing propaganda for the Palestenian Broadcasting Corporation.

Although the opposition of Palestinians to Israel may very well be attributable to actions taken by Sharon (or any other Israeli PM), the choice to use that horrifying mouse....well, that's all PBC.

What did Bush and capitalism have to do with extremism and hatred?

Perhaps youd also like to point out where Bush has created kids tv shows that teaches them to kill and hate. My god, what the hell is wrong with you to even make such a comparison?

I'm sure Pam was referring to such characters as Captain America and his arch enemy Red Something... different era though. Currently propaganda goes more subtly I think - like the Pentagon involvement in Hollywood.

Its the Red Skull. I still have many of those comics stored away. However, none that I have ever seen make any mention of 'killing' or that we should hate all Germans. They said they enemy was evil and must be defeated. In fact, hatred was often frowned upon and instructed to be used constructively. Now that doesnt mean none of them advocated those things. Just none that I saw, particularly in Cap's comics.

Every time you tell a George Soros liberal about something hateful the Islamist extremists are doing, their standard robotic knee-jerk pavlovian response is: "Yeah but George Bush blah blah blah."

The article is about Islamist radicals using cute characters to teach genocide against Jews! Wake up!

Put aside your partisan political blather and focus here! Why can't liberals and conservatives and decent human beings just all agree that having Mickey Mouse tell a group of children to shoot and kill Jews is BAD?

Is this too complicated for you?

FL Independent : In fact, hatred was often frowned upon and instructed to be used constructively. [Constructively? Hah!Yes]

Oh! You did say that was' American 'comic books?

What a great idea!- Those Arabs can't hold a candle to Allied mind-crafting.What amateurs!

By the way who did the editing an the translation? Were they a Fox type or a BBC type?
just wondering-

Why can't liberals and conservatives and decent human beings just all agree that having Mickey Mouse tell a group of children to shoot and kill Jews is BAD?

It is. But other things are also bad. And calling two things bad is not necessarily the same as calling them equally bad. Here's the dialog:

A) "Mickey Mouse selling armed resistance is bad!"
B) "Mickey Mouse selling fast food is also bad!"
C) "Those are not the same at all!"
B) "Can't we agree that cartoon characters brainwashing kids is bad?"
C) "Get your head out of your ass!"

At this point, C is officially missing the point, which is that both are in the "bad" category, though one is clearly worse than the other.

C) "Get your head out of your ass!"

I've been warned about less nasty comments--CoH
Lets see-

@gpnavonod
I was specifically talking about Captain America comic books. So yes that would be American. I have never read a non-American comic book and made no claims on them.

And yes you can use your anger constructively instead of towards hate. This is a pretty common concept taught in several areas of society when I was growing up which wasnt all that long ago.

As for the translation, Im not sure who this article claims as the source, but Glenn Beck was also reporting the story and claimed it basically went through 5 different translation services, both internal and external to CNN, 1 in Jerusalem, 1 by MEMRI, and 1 by and independent one that Beck hired, and they all agreed the translations were accurate. There was some controversy about 1 word, but there was a lone voice who all the other translators disagreed with, including the native Arabic speakers.

what was the one word?
you know the word ""murder"can get someone killed, an has .

" There was some controversy about 1 word, but there was a lone voice who all the other translators disagreed with, including the native Arabic speakers"

Yes gpnavonod But it is no different from every Israeli child's first sentence, "They want to drive us into the sea" a pathetic lie that originated from Ben Gurian. I think this is rather creative. Using the very image of evil western mind mind control, Mickey Mouse. That old propaganda stand in for every one from Hitler to Stalin and on and on. Mickey was often used to poison the minds of US children about the eastern bloc.

I SPY,

Using the very image of evil western mind mind control, Mickey Mouse.

Terming Disney "mind control" is a bit of a misnomer. Propaganda? OK. But not mind control. We're not talking about some super secret program of the CIA (or the KGB) here.

That old propaganda stand in for every one from Hitler to Stalin and on and on. Mickey was often used to poison the minds of US children about the eastern bloc.

To my knowledge, this is patently untrue. In fact, the comics and films of Disney were nowhere near as violent or confrontational as you suggest. Mickey Mouse is never set in opposition to the Eastern Bloc. Rather, the ideologies presented in Disney--notably in the comics of Donald, Scrooge, and the three duck-lads--served only to reinforce American values, including the value of money and hard work, the impropriety of theft (or redistribution of wealth if you'd prefer), and rather more subtly, a dynamic of the proper order of "the civilized" versus "the savages". It's a small world, after all.

It is those values which served to reinforce attitudes about the American position in the Cold War. More, unlike with this Moustrosity from Hamas, I seriously doubt that Walt Disney and other authors were actually aware of their role as ideologues. I suspect, rather, that when you read Disney in this way, you are able to see the impact of American ideologies because the simplified narratives are naturally simplified for their intended audience.

If you're interested in learning more about this, see my comments below (17.3-17.9, 18). In particular, you should refer to the work of Ariel Dorfman, as I mentioned below.

As for the rest of your comment, I'm afraid I see absolutely no point in responding other than to say, Hamas mickey is a disturbing, despicable, and wholly inappropriate instance of propaganda that can only serve to further destabilize an already volatile situation in Israel and Palestine. It saddens me deeply that anyone would disagree.

every Israeli child's first sentence, "They want to drive us into the sea" a pathetic lie that originated from Ben Gurian

It is not every Israeli child's first sentence. That's just offensive, and you know it.

And it originated with many very public speeches from Arabs. I'd imagine you might know that already, as well.

@gpnavonod

The one word was 'shooting'. Im not sure what the arabic version of the word was. One of the censors, of whatever their title is at CNN, objected to this word saying it was something else. However, the translations proposed by this person did not fit in context with what was being said and the structure of the sentence didnt fit with what she propsed it was saying. She was not a native Arabic speaker either.

To my knowledge, this is patently untrue. In fact, the comics and films of Disney were nowhere near as violent or confrontational as you suggest. Mickey Mouse is never set in opposition to the Eastern Bloc. Rather, the ideologies presented in Disney--

No it is not and it was a potent symbol for Nazi resistance against the Russians. The US did not use Mickey during the war because Roosevelt was an Idiot and believed Stalin's Lies and Kissed his arse in Tehran selling out the English speaking peoples with lines like "I believe Stalin is for Democracy and for the prosperity of his people." The last versions of the t34 tank had a silouete that looked similar to mickey mouse and there was a lot of cartoons about this although I have only seen 1 short animated strip I have seen many of the Comic strips.

As for using a children's programme for this type of propaganda, it can only mean that they are desperate and really believe that if their kids dont arm up the Israeli's will kidnap them or kill them. Usually when a people resort to these type of tactics it is because they are on the very edge of survival.

Another problem with these arab childrens programmes is, believe it or not, that the content is determined by the children themselves. This could be the case here, there was a similar case in Syria a few months ago.

I Spy,

That's it. I'm done. Your own argument contradicts itself and insists on bringing in unrelated and unsubstantiated claims. More, it seems apparent that you paid absolutely no heed to my argument, which if you'll reread it, pointed out what was actually "bad" about Disney. Consequently, I'll respond in kind. and leave you with this:

Hamas mickey is a disturbing, despicable, and wholly inappropriate instance of propaganda that can only serve to further destabilize an already volatile situation in Israel and Palestine. It saddens me deeply that anyone would disagree.

I hope in the future you'll deign to listen to other viewpoints. You might even learn something. I have.

You might even learn something. I have.

What did you learn, ?

bringing in unrelated and unsubstantiated claims.

and

To my knowledge, this is patently untrue.

Well I have answered your Question here and you claim I am

Your own argument contradicts itself

How ? I am only answering your question. What is contradictory about that, Did you not like the answer ? You were the one who claimed that "To your Knowledge" and I showed your knowledge is rather limited here. Is it embarrassing for you being an American that your president turned his back on Churchill and allowed himself to be wooed by Stalin ?

You might even learn something. I have.

Apologies for that....

Later, I Spy.

So can we say that you are correct that, Mickey Mouse™ has never been used to your Knowledge :)

A compromise.

'MARTYR MOUSE' BACK ON AIR

A Palestinian children's show featuring a Mickey Mouse look-alike has remained on air, despite government assurances that it would be taken off. Last week there was international concern that the show preached resistance and Islamic domination. But the Hamas-linked television station Al-Aqsa is standing by the program called 'Tomorrow's Pioneers'.

Seemingly unscathed by last week's storm of international criticism, Hamas's Mickey Mouse look-alike is back. Stung by claims that the show was teaching hatred, the Palestinian Government had assured the world that it would be suspended immediately. But last night the character dubbed by some Western media as 'Martyr Mouse' and 'Terror Mouse' returned as the star of 'Tomorrow's Pioneers' in his regular Sunday night timeslot. Ignoring the government's calls, Hamas's television network Al-Aqsa defended the show as "educational", saying it didn't violate any moral or professional codes. During one of last night's skits, the black-and-white suited rodent, known as 'Farfour', which is Arabic for 'butterfly', told his young viewers that he aspired to be like the slain spiritual leaders of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. However, observers say the more explicit anti-US and anti-Israeli rhetoric seen in previous episodes appeared to have mellowed in last night's show. Like al-Aqsa TV, fans and their parents are also undaunted by the controversy. This girl says she likes the show because it teaches them things such as prayer and the Koran. Tasneem Bolbol is just five years old, but she's already got strong opinions. She says Jews want to stop the show so that Palestinian children won't become good people. Hamas says the show, which is beamed across the Middle East and Africa, gives Palestinian children the opportunity to share with the Arab world the tragedy of their occupation. Israeli officials have denounced the program as outrageous.

Perhaps a more correct translation reveals what this TV show is all about.

Exactly.

Not to make light of this, because as a parent of two young girls and an educator I find this sick, but if you want to end terrorism, rip off Disney. Send their lawyers into these areas.

It's a good point, but I'm not sure that the identity of Christianity, at least not in the form of Santa and the Easter Bunny, is entirely based upon opposition to another group. Assuming the subtitles were correct, this show is encouraging hate, intolerance, and violence almost exculsively. It's a lot more than Koran TV or any cute version of TV Bible school etc.

This is much more than just religion in play. It is an attempt to use these children as political pawns, not to say that the religion itself is not a big part of the politics themselves.

This reminds me of, well, Santa Claus and the Easter bunny - except tailored for Islam.

Right, because both Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny tell American children to murder people. Well said, Henry.

Because junkfood is as American as apple pie...

Because a war on terror and McDonalds would be expensive.

Depends: is it a fat clown?

People do have a problem with a clown telling kids to eat junk food. Why do you think Ronald is jogging all the time now.

And this is a far cry from pandering junk food and trying to sell plastic junk to kids. This is inciting bigoted hatred in children and telling them they are part of God's plan to take over the world.

Despite all the commercials for crap I didn't need that I saw as a kid, the overwhelming tone passed down to kids was one of peace, love and understanding.

Obviously Hamas has reasons for what they're doing, but they're exploiting religion and children and I personally find it much more disgusting than any of the pro-America or pro-Junk propoganda I've seen in the States.

Have to agree with Deh Ehn, here.

I have to say, it's pretty pathetic that one person comparing a mouse telling kids to kill jews to ronald selling fast food got such a good response. You really can't compare the two.

I agree 100% Deh Ehn.

I have to say, it's pretty pathetic that one person comparing a mouse telling kids to kill jews to ronald selling fast food got such a good response. You really can't compare the two.

For the most part, you are right, the two are incomparable. However, both are means of propaganda geared towards children to promote something unhealthy. These are fun, happy characters standing in front of an evil (of way different degrees).

Something tells me they don't exactly respect our copyright laws ;-)

And yet, Disney is brutal in their pursuit of copyright infringement. Perhaps this is the ultimate solution to all our problems.

If we can just get Osama Bin Laden to pirate some Disney DVDs then we'll finally catch him. And if we can get him to leak some Apple info we'll hit him with both barrels!

How about lets try to make peace so you kids will have a nice future.

No....but if you're working with children, you could actually make some difference.

Anyone here remember the impact Captain Planet had on them?

Or if you're a bit older, Thundar the Barbarian?

Encouraging children to prepare for a war, regardless of the cause is just sick, wrong, and unconscionable. That damn mouse could play with both Jews and Palestinians....teach them that they're very similar, that they have many of the same dreams, that they each love their families, that they even, gasp, believe in different versions of the same God.

poet: Encouraging children to prepare for a war, regardless of the cause is just sick, wrong, and unconscionable
Check out the English Boy Scouts--History of-
Then retool-

From a neutral point of view Hamas Mickey Mouse is really not so different from Mickey Mouse.

Sorry, Mickey never taught me to commit martyrdom.

From a neutral point of view Hamas Mickey Mouse is really not so different from Mickey Mouse.

Let's everyone take a step back here. From a neutral point of view, Hamas Mickey Mouse is WAY different from Mickey Mouse. If you want to follow the path of Mickey Mouse indoctrinating capitalism, etc. etc. (which is thin at best) which leads to nationalism blah blah, then you're several steps removed, and again, that's a bit weak.
This is an actual character specifically created to tell children to pick up guns and murder.
Way different, people. Honestly, I don't understand how discussions get to this point on Newsvine. I think people log on with something specific they want to say, and use any opportunity to say it.

If you want to follow the path of Mickey Mouse indoctrinating capitalism, etc. etc. (which is thin at best) which leads to nationalism blah blah, then you're several steps removed, and again, that's a bit weak.

I have to disagree here. It's a valid argument that Disney or Holywood or whatever American entertainment product promotes capitalism. That's business. It is in their best interest to promote their brand through whatever means they deem necessary and can get away with. More, I think it's important to realize the impact that the exporting of American products and ideas has on the world at large....there is, after all, a reason why many peope around the world, unadulteratedly hate the United States, and you can't simply dismiss that as unenlightened, uneducated, or whatever....and even if it is a bit off topic, it could be fruitful to have a discussion on that topic. An awareness that Disney's version is not the paradigm of innocence many of us naturally think of it to be, can help elucidate our understanding of a) propaganda in general and b) this instance of propaganda in particular. It can help us avoid the easy reaction of painting this as a binary opposition with a "good" Mickey and a "bad" Mickey.

That said, the Hamas version is far, far more disturbing. The Hamas version advocates deeply disturbing ideals and amounts to nothing less than a tool for teaching children to be terrorists. More it further complicates the volatile situation in Israel and Palestine. Such tactics are, to my mind, utterly dispicable and demonstrates the moral quandry of viewing Palestinians simply as victims, as far too many are currently apt to do. Such tactics are to my mind, a bit like jazz, Disney gave the PBC the refrain, and now they are soloing their murderous riff upon it.

I agree with you here. My main point was that it's not really close to the same thing. Characters in children's books or shows or movies in whatever country is creating the product will inherently reflect that country's cultures and ideals. That's what kids know, and that's the country from which they originate. I know, of course, that there's incidences that have been more insidious in the US, but for the most part, it's simply a reflection of the culture. How would you make a cartoon written and set in America while eliminating American ideals and capitalism? I would say that, again, depending on the specific cartoon we're talking about and which era it originates from, for the most part it'd be difficult to label it as propaganda. Popeye fighting the "Roundeyes" in the 40's was, of course, direct and intentional propaganda, but Goofy setting up his own lemonade stand to make some extra money to buy a skateboard is just reflective of the American system they way it's SUPPOSED to work.
Regardless, the point I was making was that if American Mickey was, indeed, propaganda on some level, it still doesn't make him comparable to this Mickey teaching kids about guns and murder.

BTW, BroodingPoet, it's people like you who keep me coming back to Newsvine. You're able to disagree and make your point without being overly reactionary, angry, and outrageous. It's nice to have a civil conversation from time to time in between the "Bush is Hitler" threads.

It's the same structure. The same seeming innocuousness (from the perspective of the children) that makes Farfour so damn disturbing.

Consider, for example, how would we react if it was a cleric associated with Hamas telling the children these things? Would we react as strongly? Would we be repulsed as much as we are?

Or does the co-optation of an American symbol make it worse?

Should it?

BTW, BroodingPoet, it's people like you who keep me coming back to Newsvine. You're able to disagree and make your point without being overly reactionary, angry, and outrageous. It's nice to have a civil conversation from time to time in between the "Bush is Hitler" threads.

Thank you....compliments are always a nice surprise.

I see what you mean. Propaganda aside, cartoon characters are often used to tell moral tales of sharing, kindness, etc. because they're very effective at doing so. Even in kindergarten and early schooling, a lot of teaching is done with stories and characters and imaginary beings, so to see that (most of the time) amoral teaching tool used to teach such awful human behaviors is horrifying.

I see what you mean. Propaganda aside, cartoon characters are often used to tell moral tales of sharing, kindness, etc. because they're very effective at doing so. Even in kindergarten and early schooling, a lot of teaching is done with stories and characters and imaginary beings, so to see that (most of the time) amoral teaching tool used to teach such awful human behaviors is horrifying.

Exactly.

Tom,

Brooding Poet, you're a thoughtful, eloquent, and decent person, and you conduct yourself civilly and rationally here on Newsvine, and I appreciate that. I sometimes disagree with some of your points, but I enjoy reading your posts. What I am about to say is not aimed at you.

Thank you for the compliment. That's the second one today on NV. This may go to my head. :-)

I am pretty saddened and even angered at a few of the other posts on this subject, sorry to say. It almost seems like every time you tell a George Soros liberal about something hateful the Islamist extremists are doing, their standard robotic knee-jerk pavlovian response is: "Yeah but George Bush blah blah blah."

However, here, I'd like to urge you to tread lightly. I worry that your response is also a knee-jerk reaction to those statements. Political debate, at least in the states, is so deeply polarized that I grow increasingly suspicious of generalizations (and this strikes me as one). In my opinion, those polarizations are not nearly so vast a gulf as a look at your local news seems to imply.

In addition, at least on this thread, I think the general consensus is something along the lines of: What the hell?

And I'm thankful of that.

More, I hope this thread does do something to encourage anyone who might feel inclined to place their sympathies entirely with the Palestinians simply because they are oppressed to think twice. This is tangible evidence of hateful propaganda against Israel. This is a clear indication that neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians hold any claim to any sort of "moral high ground".

This is tangible evidence of hateful propaganda against Israel.

Can you stand a third compliment? Your points are well put BroodingPoet.

However, the more ridiculous the level of hateful propaganda the more pronounced and polarizing the responses can be to such occurrences. Never is the knee-jerk on either side of the isle more clear than when in these bizarre events some actually come to the defense of the behavior on grounds that such desperate times (that Bush et al have apparently created) actually call for the aid of Hamas Mickey.

I think Tom and others, myself included would value highly that when opportunities so ridiculous in nature and easy to seize upon to close the perceived chasm between two sides, that more liberals would capitalize on the opportunity for some balance in simply calling the stupidity of Hamas Mickey for what it truly is.

Top Jedi,

Thanks for the third compliment (in this thread, I think).

Never is the knee-jerk on either side of the isle more clear than when in these bizarre events some actually come to the defense of the behavior on grounds that such desperate times (that Bush et al have apparently created) actually call for the aid of Hamas Mickey.

I'm sorry I can't follow this....you're describing an argument and I can't envision that argument from what you've said here. Mind clarifying?

I think Tom and others, myself included would value highly that when opportunities so ridiculous in nature and easy to seize upon to close the perceived chasm between two sides, that more liberals would capitalize on the opportunity for some balance in simply calling the stupidity of Hamas Mickey for what it truly is.

I completely agree with you here, and I think, honestly that on this thread you can see others of a Democratic/Liberal stripe who are in complete agreement.

Does this mean they'll supporting Palestine? Or stop lambasting Bush? Probably not....nor should they, if that's what they believe.

Yes, because there was one word that was questionable, but the picture is still up on his website glennbeck.com and he said he will not stop talking about it. He also had someone from Memri today on explaining the problem CNN had.

See the Spiegel story.

"The people firmly stand, singing this to you. ... Its answer is an AK-47. We who do not know fear, we are the predators of the forest," Farfour squeaks in one episode while miming the throwing of a grenade and the shooting of a rifle. In another, his mousey voice warns: "Oh Jerusalem we are coming. Oh Jerusalem, it is the time of death. Oh Jerusalem, we will never surrender to the enemy, and we will never be humiliated. It is beloved Palestine that taught us what to be. And taught us to be soldiers of the Lord."

There's also a link to the Youtube video there.

So, yes, the mouse is teling children to pick up guns and murder (wage Jihad).

gpnavonod, I see you are continuing to shill for the extremist anti-semitic militants.

thats your spin-

Have you heard a familiar saying like
"Next year in Jerusalm" ?
Nope, not Arabs,
-guess again
Do we teach our children to surrender to the enemy?
Do we teach them they have no right to be on the land of their birth ? [ They look young enough to be native]
That they must be content with being humiliated. Because they are impotent. An the wrong religion
That their future is -
that they don't have one .
Have you ever sang "Onward Christian Soldiers".I guess not?
"Oh Jerusalem, it is the time of death."But whose death? With just an AK-47 to take back Jersalem, it seems like it's' their death' they're talking about. Unless they are on drugs as well-

P.S. I still don't hear the "murder"thing-

Hi Tom
How's the weather in Baldwinshire?
Quite muggy here-
Do try to have a nice day though!