Mar 10 2008
Arab Political Cartoons
What can we learn about another region by reading their newspapers and watching their TV? It’s a question I’ve become interested in as I learn Arabic and have started to consume Arab media.
Much is not surprising. For example, during the Israeli incursions in the Palestine over the past few weeks, al-Jazeera reported that “martyrs were martyred” (istshhada shaheedan) rather than “civilians were killed” (qutila muwatinin).
The political cartoons are more blunt. The views expressed are typical of the “Arab street”: America sucks, Israel sucks, etc. But the visual language is fascinating.
A sheikh uses the American flag as a prayer mat. The flag reads, loosely translated, “Submission–not hunger!” The young Palestinian freedom fighter’s sign reads “Hunger–not submission!”
After the jump: a selection of more Arab political cartoons.
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