Israel Matzav

Hamas tries to cover the 'Palestinian' Mickey Mouse

Under increasing pressure due to the worldwide exposure given to Farfur, the 'Palestinian' Mickey Mouse, Hamas tonight has pulled the furry critter off its television station for 'review' according to 'Palestinian' information minister Mustafa Barghouti.

Barghouti said the use of the cartoon character in such a role represented a "mistaken approach" to the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation.

Barghouti wrote that following a request from his ministry, the program was pulled from the Hamas-affiliated Al Aksa TV and "placed under review."

In the statement, Barghouti said his ministry "would continue to ensure freedom of expression and freedom of the press, but that media outlets breaking the law would be penalized."

Barghouti complained that the Mickey Mouse story continued to receive attention by "some American television stations" after it was resolved, and that media did not broadcast video of Israeli human rights violations supplied by his ministry in recent weeks. [When was there last an Israeli suicide bomber? CiJ]

Israel has long complained that the Palestinian airwaves are filled with incitement.

Earlier today, Walt Disney's sole surviving daughter lambasted Hamas for its use of the mouse:

Diane Disney Miller said she was disgusted that a rip-off of her father's iconic cartoon character was being used on a new Hamas TV show to encourage Palestinian children to take up arms against Israel and America.

"Of course I feel personal about Mickey Mouse, but it could be Barney as well,'' Ms Miller, 73, told the New York Daily News.

"It's not just Mickey, it's indoctrinating children like this, teaching them to be evil,'' said Ms Miller, who owns a winery in northern California.

"The world loves children and this is just going against the grain of humanity.''

...

The Disney Company had no comment but Ms Miller praised the New York Daily News for informing the public about the program.

"What we're dealing with here is pure evil and you can't ignore that,'' Ms Miller said.

"I'm awful glad you're doing something about it, writing about this and keeping it in the public eye as much as it can be.''

Hamas officials denied they were using the show to incite children against Jews.

"Our problem is not with the Jews,'' Yehia Moussa, a Hamas leader in the movement's Gaza Strip base, told The Associated Press.

"Our problem is with the (Israeli) occupation and the occupiers.''

And that's why they're targeting Jews outside of Israel....

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:04 PM