See some banned Palestinian children's art

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      Below, you'll see some of the images that were part of an exhibit of art by Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip.

      The images were supposed to be shown at the Museum of Children's Art in Oakland, but the show, entitled A Child's View from Gaza, was cancelled on September 8.

      The Berkeley-based Middle East Children’s Alliance stated in a news release that "there was a concerted effort by pro-Israel organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area to pressure the museum to reverse its decision to display Palestinian children’s art."

      The group's executive director, Barbara Lubin, described the move as censorship. “We understand all too well the enormous pressure that the museum came under. But who wins? The museum doesn’t win. MECA doesn’t win. The people of the Bay Area don’t win. Our basic constitutional freedom of speech loses. The children in Gaza lose."

      The free exhibit was going to open on September 24. About 1.6 million people live in the Gaza Strip, which is a 41-kilometre stretch of land between Israel and Egypt. It's ruled by Hamas.

      Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but continues to control the airspace and sea access. In 2008, Israel attacked Gaza in response to rockets being fired into southern Israel. Israel also maintains a blockade, which was declared "legal" by a recent United Nations commission.

      Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.

      Comments

      24 Comments

      Elven Prince

      Sep 12, 2011 at 11:22am

      Damn children and their self-expression.

      Sheep

      Sep 12, 2011 at 1:03pm

      Because Children express directly their unfiltered reflection of the world as they see it.

      This true reflection is hard to take for those engaged in War (both sides Palestinian + Israeli).

      The very strong pro-Israel at any cost lobby in the West can even squash a kids exhibition is disturbing in it's power.

      Have we become large Proxy states of Israel? Seems like it at times like these.

      I have no interest in the generational irrational Religious based genocide by BOTH Arabs + Israeli's.

      There must bean enforced peace or else WWIII is coming with these two crazy states / people who will stick to their far out ideology based on some God where any Death and/or Killing can be justified.

      David Gervais

      Sep 12, 2011 at 8:17pm

      A note to curators everywhere: When so many people are against the contents of an exhibit, you are doing something right.
      Shame on this gallery for caving in.

      cleanandsober

      Sep 12, 2011 at 10:50pm

      Having read the letter, I still feel that they backed down from their original mission of expression through art and "fostering understanding". It is best to start early and the "violent" images expressed are what children in Gaza see every day, there is nothing wrong in exposing other children to that art - they will hopefully begin to ask questions. Of course what adult can answer those questions? Interesting that there are never any concerns regarding Holocost exhibits, there is something that can damage an adult.

      JC

      Sep 13, 2011 at 1:35am

      So is everyone buying the story that these pictures are just the natural outflow of young minds or am I alone in thinking these pictures could easily be a cheap publicity stunt organised / prompted / scripted by the kids parents who have a political axe to grind?

      Janice

      Sep 13, 2011 at 8:05pm

      There was no objection from the Jewish Community Relations Council when MOCHA showed wartime pictures drawn by Iraqi children. But when it comes to the children of Gaza who have been traumatized by Israeli bombs, missiles, white phosphorus and Israeli tanks and soldiers thse photos must be censored. No one should see the horrors that Israel has wreaked on the occupied people of Gaza and the West Bank. Israel must be held bllameless for everything.

      The delicious irony is that the news of the JCRC and its minions and its efforts to censor the children's art is spreading around the world . The world knows to what depths the JCRC and its minions will stoop when there is any criticiam of their favorite country, Israel. The world is not happy.

      Urban Canadian

      Sep 14, 2011 at 3:17pm

      re: Have we become large Proxy states of Israel?
      Or perhaps Israel is a proxy state of America. This smacks of Pali propeganda (I think we all can see that), however, their children should have a right to express the hell inflicted upon them. It never fails to surprise me that Washington, and therefore America greater, is 100% behind Israel, regardless of their horrific behavior.

      peacemaker36

      Sep 18, 2011 at 9:45am

      All is not as it seems:

      http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2011/09/fake-child-artists-of-gaza.html

      " FresnoZionism asked an art professor for an opinion on these pieces. Here's what she said:
      The paintings (color drawings) are highly sophisticated especially in relationship to detail. Did you see the barbed wire? Also, there is a carefully drawn Star of David in each work. The authenticity of the painting is remarkable for a child’s hand. The drawing of the planes and helicopters, the man in the tower, the dynamic brushstrokes that are well conceived and controlled all seem to project a more mature approach to art. Could these “children” be in their late teens, college age, or young adults [MECA says they were 9 to 11 years old]? According to the the quote, “much of the artwork was produced by children.” I wonder how “much”? Also, it is possible that the “children” were directed by an adult who supervised and perhaps completed the initial drawing? "

      sick of nonsense

      Sep 18, 2011 at 10:14am

      The Pal machine is excellent at the propaganda war. Israel is not occupying Gaza. It left years ago, yet Hamas which controls Gaza has led a war with daily bombardments of rockets terrorizing and killing Israeli children. Where is their art work? This "art" is a kin to the communist propaganda of children's art from the 60's. Isn't it time you let the facts get in the way of your agenda? En your article states that eh blockade was declared "legal." The museum was correct in refusing to participate in disseminating propaganda in the guise of art.