Kaffiya and Local Meaning
The kaffiya, a traditional Arab headcloth, is rife with symbolism — most prominently in the western media, it is used to conceal the faces of resistance fighters. In the Arab world, it is ubiquitous, from a factional display of identification, a symbol of the Palestinian struggle, or a neat souvenir from the holy land. Farmers use is to protect from the sun; Arafat used it to represent the shape of Palestine on his chest; cutting edge fashion designers are weaving them into different, sometimes suggestive, garments (I’ve seen kaffiya-patterned hats, shirts, and ties). Everyone from western activists to American soldiers are wearing them as well, probably because they’re cool.
Two recent items I was forwarded indicate how powerful a symbol it is in different cultural settings outside of the Arab world.
It is being marketed as “Early Spring” chic by Urban Outfitters, the consummate re-marketer of quasi-ethnic wears, offensive products ,and occasionally racist garbs. You can buy on-line various shades of the kaffiya, from Hamas Green to Fatah black, to Hashemite/PFLP red. Of course, that kind of sales approach wouldn’t work well in the States even given its clear ploy at controversy-inducing to boost sales. So UO is calling it an “Anti-War Woven Scarf.” Bush knows he screwed when UO is selling “Anti-War” stuff, even if the company’s CEO is a contributor to the Republican Party.
On a more depressing note, one of my favorite MC’s, Detroit-based Invincible, talks about the drama she faced while on tour in East Germany over her kaffiya. There, the neo-Nazi movement adopted the symbol, as well as Palestinian solidarity, as a way to forward its anti-Jewish agenda. This puts progressive people between a rock and Israel, there. The issue came up when local folks saw her expressions of support for the Palestinian people on her myspace page. She came to the show prepared to show a PSA on Israel’s thrashing of Lebanon, and wearing a kaffiya — which, it turns out, was banned by the venue she was performing at as part of its anti-fascist, anti-racist policies.
Invincible spent some good time arguing with the promoter — with the tour manager translating — over what she could wear and/or present to the crowd. The promoter tried to make his case by showing her the preview of Jackie Salloum’s film, Slingshot Hip-Hop, as an example of what he feared she would reference(!). In the end, she wore the kaffiya and told the crowd how being against hatred and racism means being against Zionism, and how Neo-Nazi’s have no right co-opting progressive symbols to further their insidious cause. She talked to one fan who thanked her for her words and found that the Neo-Nazi’s and the response against them left little room for open discussion.
With Germany’s history, I can appreciate the sensitivity of this. The Neo-Nazi ploy is unsurprisingly desperate and destructive. I applaud Invincible for taking this head on.
Invincible at the German Holocaust Memorial in Berlin.
[hat tips: Rula, Muna, Samantha]
There, the neo-Nazi movement adopted the symbol
No surprise, really.
Especially since the Palestinian movement embraced the Nazis during World War II.
“Mohammad Amin al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem during WWII, collaborated with Nazi Germany, becoming a resident in Berlin during World War II, where upon being granted a rank of SS Gruppenführer by Heinrich Himmler, he helped recruit Muslims for the Waffen-SS.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amin_al-Husayni
You act surprised – this has been going on for more than 60 years.
Then you have the strain of Holocaust denial from various Palestinian leaders (notably Abu Mazen and Ramadan Abdullah Shallah).
Some intellectual honesty, please.
I appreciate that you think this is a bad thing. Good for you. But trying to act as if this is somehow a new phenomenon is disengenuous in the extreme.
Zionists also collaborated with Nazi’s. What is your point?
The point is you’re a complete moron.
Zionists wanted to move Jews out of Germany, where their lives were – duh – in mortal danger. They made attempts to work with the German Nazi government (because that was the government in existence at the time – duh) to do that.
Husseini – himeslf – was a Nazi.
Again, you’re a moron.
The Zionists and the Nazi’s both wanted “to move the Jews out of Germany.”
Husseini and the Nazi’s both wanted to defeat the British empire.
Why does that make Palestinians more Nazish than the Zionists (who shared the more disturbing commonality)?
Don’t bring it weak at KABOBfest.
Will,
Husseini and the Nazis both wanted to kill Jews. Zionists didn’t.
You are weak.
Husseini and the Nazi’s both wanted to defeat the British empire.
Wow, Will. You’re officially and objectively a Nazi apologist.
You are smart enough to know that’s not what drew Husseini to the Nazis.
That’s pathetic.
I’m shocked and embarrassed for you.
Wow.
Seriously.
Wow.
And then you have the nerve to talk about “bring it weak”?
Disgusting.
Jesus.
Will, the Nazis “wanted” to “move” the Jews out of Germany?
Are you insane? Or are you kidding?
Please tell me you’re kidding.
You really think that that’s what the Nazis wanted?
I hope you’re joking.
Israel is a racist state.
Check Israeli laws before you retort.
All Arab states are racist – and most have no respect for laws to begin with.
From Israel’s Nationality Law:
“It was defined that the spouse of a Jew, the children of a Jew and their spouses, and the grandchildren of a Jew and their spouses would also be covered under the Law of Return and thus be eligible for an Oleh’s certificate provided that they did not practice a religion other than Judaism. In 1999, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that Jews or the descendants of Jews that actively practice a religion other than Judaism would not be allowed to immigrate to Israeli as they would no longer be considered Jews under the provisions of the Law of Return.”
Meaning that it matters what religion you are in Israel. I’m sure all Christian, Muslim and Budhist citizens of Israel feel very comfortable and proud to face discrimination in dozens of laws including Land Ownership, Benefits, Immigration rights for their immediate families abroad.
The list goes on.
Some democracy!
Granted, no country is free from racism. But only in Israel is it on the books, directed at a fifth of its own nationals.
Check the laws fool, and I dare you to find such discrimination AGAINST ONES OWN CITIZENS.
Jews can’t be citizens of Jordan or Saudi Arabia, retard.
That’s REALLY the way to guard against discrimination, right? Don’t let them in in the first place?
Jeez.
That’s neither here nor there anyway, and has nothing to do with Will’s newfound apologia for Nazism, and the fact that Husseini was a Nazi.
Nice attempt at distraction.
Jesus.
Retard?
I said no other country discriminates (through dozens of promulgated laws) against thousands of citizens because they believe in a different religion.
If I got you to start comparing Israel to Saudi then I’ve already won the argument.
Oh, plus, I’m right about the fact the no other country expressly and officially discriminates against a chunk of its people (born ‘n’ raised in Israel, Hebrew speaking Israeli passport holders) like Israel does.
Retard zionist loser.
I said no other country discriminates (through dozens of promulgated laws) against thousands of citizens because they believe in a different religion.
Because those other countries don’t have to because they have ONE LAW banning them as citizens in the first place!
Jesus, the daftness.
I’m right about the fact the no other country expressly and officially discriminates against a chunk of its people
No, you’re not. Not even close. I had no idea how retarded you were, it was honestly just a guess. A good one, as it turns out.
Chinese and Indians in Malaysia – well known official discrimination (http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/ontheroad/malaysia.dilemma.html).
Malay translations of the Bible and other Christian materials, despite having Christian citizens.
Copts in Egypt – well known official discrimination, famous in the Middle East.
Assyrian Christians and Kurds in Turkey. (See Turkish Villages Act” Article 87)
Indonesia won’t issue ID cards or recognize civil marriages to it’s citizens that are not members of it’s five major religions.
Non-Muslims in Brunei can’t proselytize and Christian schools can’t teach Christianity as an official religion.
China is notorious for official discrimination against minorities.
It’s a long list.
You are either a crack smoker, retarded or completely ignorant.
No other country expressly and officially discriminates against a chunk of its people?
One of the dumbest things ever uttered in the history of this – or any other – blog.
Damn.
That should say Malaysia restricts the distribution of Malay-translations of the Bible and other Christian items – despite having Christian citizens and residents.
But congrats on the most ignorant comment ever.
My list is not exhaustive, either.
Find a dictionary and see what that means.
Then, of course, there’s Palestinians in Lebanon – a “chunk of people” in Lebanon who are “expressly and officially discriminated against.”
And there Shia in Saudi Arabia:
Shia Muslims, who constitute about eight percent of the Saudi population, faced discrimination in employment as well as limitations on religious practices. Shia jurisprudence books were banned, the traditional annual Shia mourning procession of Ashura was discouraged, and operating independent Islamic religious establishments remained illegal.
http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/mideast/saudi.html
And women in Saudia Arabia! Talk about official discrimination against a “chunk of people.”
In short, you have no idea what you’re talking about.
all your examples are negligible in the face of israeli legal discrimination.
Malaysia: A case of affirmative action gone wrong.
Copts in Egypt: officially a case of Family law differences which is akin to different marriage courts for different religious groups.
Indonesia: a family law issue that is not comparable to israel’s scope of legal discriminations. Besides an Israeli non-Jew must move out of Israel if he marries an Arab women because she isn’t allowed to emegrate to israel.
According to the “Turkish Villages Act” Article 87, non-Turkish nationals are not allowed to acquire real-estate property in those Syriac villages.
NON-TURKISH being the key here.
Oh and does a fifth of China’s population fall under dozens of discriminatory laws because of their religion?
You’ve failed again you cold-hearted zionist, only good at pointing fingers while thinking you’re on moral high ground. All your examples are rubish.
Bring on your non exhaustive list and watch each of your examples fail to compare.
And if you bring up Saudi Arabia or refugees like Lebanon then you’ve really sunk low.
It’s sad that you deny that Israels is worse than all your examples. But then again you’re a zionist, no matter if you’re wrong you have to stand your ground. Just stop deceiving others.
Wow a retard and an apologist for official discrimination.
And all in an effort to distract from Will’s support of Mufti Husseini as a Nazi.
Pathetic.
Jesus.
You have no right to call anyone else sad.
It’s just looks desparate.
Whatever.
You said NO other counties officially discriminated against a chunk of its people.
You are CLEARLY wrong, that WAS one of the dumbest things ever written in blog HISTORY, and now you’re just digging a deeper hole because you’re embarrassed.
You should have just apologized for being incorrect and moved on.
But clearly, that isn’t going to happen – so all the rest of your comments will just be comedy.
Embarrassing.
but calling some one “on crack” doesn’t look disparate?
You are sad. Arming yourself with the entire world’s ills just so you can defend your beloved Israel. Talk about diverting attention. Why don’t you move to to a west bank jewish settlement and divert your attention form this blog.
And FYI no body gives a dam about the rotting corpse of Hussieni.
but calling some one “on crack” doesn’t look disparate?
You’re the one who wrote one of the dumbest and incorrect thing ever on a blog.
The reason underlying it isn’t all that important, in the grand scheme of things.
I’m not arming myself with anything – according to you, those ills didn’t even exist!
You’re the one distracting from the issue at hand to begin with! Which is Will’s apologia for Husseini’s Nazism.
And people should give a damn about him – people who forget history are condemend to repeat it.
Or, in your case, people who don’t know history – or current events – are condemened to sound like crack smokers.
Cheers.
And as is typical of your lot, you are wrong again. I am very much against West Bank settlements – not that it matters. And I am very much in favor of a Palestinian state. Sooner the better.
And not that you care, because you will claim it’s not a problem, but you might want to educate yourself abou the official discrimination against the Berbers of North Africa – notably Libya:
http://www.tawalt.com/united_nations/The-Berbers-of-Libya2004.pdf
Enjoy.
According to you this is the dumbest thing ever written in a blog:
“Oh, plus, I’m right about the fact the no other country expressly and officially discriminates against a chunk of its people (born ‘n’ raised in Israel, Hebrew speaking Israeli passport holders) like Israel does.”
‘Typical of your lot’ as spin doctors, your citing issues of marriage and affirmative action does not stand as discrimination in the sense that Israel discriminates, that’s what my statement above claims, and not the way you’ve stripped it & spun it.
But then again this is typical of folks who defend Israeli crimes and then go about prodding their support for a Palestinain state and condemnation of settlements, as if those are unthinkable concessions that Israel has to make, when they are required by International law.
Again your citations are like saying: Well America discriminates because only uS-born americans are allowed to run for president.
Apples and Oranges.
Israel is a racist state until religion ceases to be the main characterizer of Israeli legislation.
Peace & apologies for wasting everybody’s time: Husseini is a Nazi and Kufiyyas are cool.
I didn’t strip or spin anything – I quoted exactly what you said.
Again your citations are like saying: Well America discriminates because only uS-born americans are allowed to run for president.
Not at all – they are specifically and officially directed policies against minority ethnic and religious populations my the majority governments.
Period.
As for the “main character” of Israeli legislation, Religion is the “main character” of the legislation of a multitude of Muslim states – something you don’t seem to have a problem with.
Whatever.
“As for the “main character” of Israeli legislation, Religion is the “main character” of the legislation of a multitude of Muslim states – something you don’t seem to have a problem with.”
Your ignorance doesn’t end. Commercial law in Arab states has been transplanted from European commercial law and little to do with Islam. It is mostly Family law that is characterized by Islam (marriage, divorce, inheritance.
etc…).
So in net terms, Judaism characterizes Israeli laws more than Islam characterizes Arab state law like Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco.
Anyway I am one who is certain that god does not exist and that religion is but a human construct that, since I’ve been around has caused more pain than comfort.
Your ignorance doesn’t end. ommercial law in Arab states has been transplanted from European commercial law and little to do with Islam.
Wow, you really don’t mind looking like a fool. Commercial law? Lol.
First of all, Arab does not equal Muslim.
Second of all, have you never heard of Shariah law? (and it’s official second class status for religious and other minorities?)
Jesus. Amazing. You are quite a special case.
And your “net terms” calculus is completely bullshit and wishful thinking, especially since you picked just a handful of countries (I noticed you left Libya off that list!) from the more than 30 that use Islam as a guiding principle for its laws – but awesome that you picked one where it’s illegal for a Jew to even be a citizen! (which, amazingly, you some how think is better than discrimination against minority citizens!)
Again, whatever. Who cares what you think about religion when you’re clearly an apologist for one over another.
What you have achieved in the last 2 hours of typing away:
1. Husseini was a Nazi, or a “Nazi-friend”
2. Israel’s, along with China’s, extent of official discrimination, lies somewhere between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
Thanks for the discussion and valuable knowledge.
Sorry won’t be back to read more.
Well, your point 2 – even if true – still contradicts what mr. NO OTHER COUNTRY stated as fact.
Congrats to you both.
One last thing to prove your last point wrong: Regarding “Shari’a Law” haha, that’s a joke, but then again typical. Shari’a does not exist in the countries i mentioned except in personal family law (marriage, divorce, etc…).
Read in the AMERICAN JOURNAL FOR COMPARITIVE LAW the 2004 piece by Abu-Odeh entitled
“The Politics of (Mis)Recognition: Islamic Law Pedagogy in American Academia”
It will be like telling a medievil peasant that the earth is not flat. You will be shocked at your lack of knowledge of Muslim majority states.
I would love to hang out here and teach you but I have to go do some work.
(ps. Really read that article I mentioned, if you don’t have nexis or athens account & can’t access it let me know I’ll e-mail it you, it’s fascinating, you’ll thank me and you’ll really enjoy it. I also welcome any readings you might want to recommend. I’ll come back to this blog tomorrow to see if you sincerely reply
Key point: in the countries YOU mentioned – leaving a good 25 Muslims states you DIDN’T mention.
A point also made, but too subtle for you apparently, with my “Arab does not equal Muslim” comment.
And you have sidestepped and downplayed the fact that in several of these countries, Jews can’t even be citizens in the first place!
There are Christian and Muslim (and Druze) citizens of Israel.
There are no Jewish citizens of Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
And then you have Syria – one of the countries you listed as being so good:
Syrian legislation comes even closer to its Israeli counterpart with the stipulation of exceptional naturalization. … And although the Syrian Arab Republic’s Constitution of 1969 defines the state as “socialist, popular and democratic state”, its citizenship law comes close to the Israeli idea of citizenship “by return” in stipulating in Article 6 of the Law that the Minister of Interior may, at his discretion, wave any or all the conditions of naturalization listed in Article 4 of the Law if the applicant was a Syrian emigre and has a certificate of an emigre citizen (Article 6.1); performed distinguished service to the State or the Arab nation (Article 6.2); was of Arab origin and could give convincing reasons to the Minister of Interior (Article 6.3)
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2501/is_n1_v18/ai_18413376/pg_7
Again, whatever.
“There are no Jewish citizens of Jordan”
Wrong once again. And again, this will be like telling a medievil peasant that the earth is round:
And if you don’t believe me you can contact him yourself:
http://web.mit.edu/shbt/people/alumni_profiles/goldstein.html
He is a Jordanian Jew who actually grew up in Amman most of his life. I know this because I went to high school with him there.
Hey you learn something new everyday. Or maybe in your case it goes in one ear and goes out the other. I bet you will still go on to say that are no Jordanian Jews in the future.
Again, whatever?
I always find it amusing when Zionists bring up the Husseini “connection” with the Nazis…
In 1982, Israel formed an alliance with the fascist Phalange militias in Lebanon to exterminte 2,000 Palestinian women and children in Sabra and Chatila. The Phalangists were directly inspired by the Nazis, even down to the adoption of blackshirts…
Unlike Hussieni’s brief, admittedly ill-advised (but chronically over-stated) conversation with a German delegation, the Israeli association with Nazis did actually result in mass murder…
Since 99% of Jews are Zionists, maybe you can just call the people you hate what they are… Jews.
Giving them some other title simply makes it easier for people like you to claim you are not an anti-Semite, even though you are.
It would be like me saying, “I don’t hate ‘Muslims’, just followers of Mohammed, Duh!”
“In the end, she wore the kaffiya and told the crowd how being against hatred and racism means being against Zionism”
What an ignorant cunt. If I saw her or anyone sportin a Kaffiyah (Yid Killin Pride Scarf) at a sensitive place like a Holocaust Memorial, I’d put my foot in her ass, and then use that smarmy scarf as her butt plug.
Urban Outfitters has stopped selling the offensive scarves. You lose again. Suckers!
Urban Outfitters has stopped selling the offensive scarves. You lose again. Suckers!
Palestinian culture is “offensive”? That, by extension, makes most Israeli culture offensive since they stole most of it from the Palestinians.
Jews have no culture. They just borrow.
I read about Invincible on her myspace page too. I don’t know how many other people would have done what she did. I had so much more respect for her after that. She understood the history of her people, and wouldn’t settle for slogans of birthrights and shit.
All of you are morons. They are worn by everyone in Germany, Punks(anti-neo nazi), neo nazis and everyone trying to make a FASHION STATEMENT. The whole discussion over these scarves world wide is asinine at best. American and Brit soldiers in Iraq wear them, hmmm and guess what for. To protect themselves in the desert. Because it’s a smart thing. Wake up people not everything is done for political reasons or to offend one group or another.
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