Article

2010-03-11 Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Bold new Gaza play skewers Fatah and Hamas

[Al Arabiya Latest] A new play has shocked audiences in the Gaza Strip by shouting out what many in the Hamas-ruled territory mutter behind closed doors -- that Palestinian politicians are a bunch of crooks.

The biting comedy entitled "Umbilical Cord" goes after the Islamist Hamas and its secular Fatah rivals, accusing them of ignoring the suffering of their people and selling out to Iran and the United States, respectively. Though it takes to task all the main Palestinian factions, the play is remarkable for its criticism of Hamas, which has ruled the embattled territory since driving out its Fatah rivals in June 2007.

"I was afraid it would be prevented from being shown," said director Hazem Abu Hamid, whose invitations to the three-night run this week gave little hint of the content. "It's an escape valve for what people say in secret... their frustration about the division and their anger over the foreign aid that interferes with decisions."

Against the backdrop of a tumble-down refugee camp, the play's working-class characters relate tales of suffering under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade of the territory tightened after the takeover.

At one point a character representing Hamas claims to have liberated Gaza, from which Israel withdrew all of its troops and settlements in 2005, and of being "steadfast against the siege", drawing an angry reaction from other figures in the play.

"Gaza is under siege and every day the (Israeli) tanks enter," another character says. "The steadfastness against the blockade comes from our martyred children."

"But we bring you money in exchange for your martyred children," the man representing Fatah chimes in.

"Take my life and give me back my son. This is a dog's life, with no electricity, no flour, no jobs," says an actress playing a Palestinian refugee whose son was killed in an Israeli incursion.
Not the snappiest play around. Perhaps Sean Penn and Alec Baldwin could help them out ...

Posted by Fred 2010-03-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top
File under: Hamas

#1 Maybe not Our Town, but perhaps a milestone as the scale fall from their eyes and the Paleos begin to realize they have been played for patsies and suckers by the entire Arab world and the Persians, too. And the worst part - the Juice are still there.

Posted by SteveS 2010-03-11 01:32|| 2010-03-11 01:32|| Front Page Top

#2 Wait until you see theatrical criticism Paleo style, SteveS.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2010-03-11 01:40|| 2010-03-11 01:40|| Front Page Top

#3 theatrical criticism Paleo style I expect it involves suicide bombings and beheadings, the usual Paleo stuff.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-03-11 02:47|| 2010-03-11 02:47|| Front Page Top

#4 Critics give the production two severed thumbs up.

Posted by Swanimote 2010-03-11 11:07|| 2010-03-11 11:07|| Front Page Top

#5 Wait until you see theatrical criticism MUSLIM style...

The tale of Abu Nidal torturing his own best agents is highly entertaining.

It always end up the same with the moonstone idolaters, self destruction!

Posted by Hotspur666 2010-03-11 14:33|| 2010-03-11 14:33|| Front Page Top

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