Culture of violence? Palestinian Arab childre
Culture of violence? Palestinian Arab childreFlash 90

Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) has reported that on three different occasions, Palestinian Authority TV has broadcast children reciting a poem that includes the words "my enemy, Zion, is Satan with a tail." 

Last week during a performance given in the PA, the Egyptian writer of the poem, Hesham El-Gakh, recited this and other poems, after which the PA Minister of Culture, Anwar Abu Eisheh, and PA District Governor of Ramallah, Laila Ghannam, awarded him a plaque of honor. The event was broadcast on official Palestinian Authority TV Live. 

To warm up the audience, a young girl recited a small section from the same poem, the stanza including the words "my enemy, Zion, is Satan with a tail":

"When I was young, I was taught that Arabness is my honor... and that our lands extend from one end to the other, and that our wars were for the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and that our enemy, Zion, is Satan with a tail, and that our nation's armies are outstanding," the poem read.

The poem describes what children have been taught by Arab leaders, opening with, "when I was young I was taught," but also criticizes these leaders for not acting according to their own teachings. The poem criticizes the Arab world for its lack of unity, which prevents it from fulfilling the goals it has set. 

During his visit to the PA, the Egyptian poet El-Gakh was also introduced to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in the presidential residence in the city of Ramallah. 

The official PA news agency WAFA reported on El-Gakh's performance and the honor he received from the PA:

"Egyptian poet Hesham El-Gakh held an evening of poetry in the Ramallah Cultural Palace yesterday," the report began. "During his [poetry] evening, the poet recited many of his famous poems, among them 'The Visa', and the poem 'The Last Thing Distorted in the Torah', and several of his other poems, which pleased the audience."

The report continued to note that El-Gakh was honored by ministers of the Palestinian Authority at the evening's conclusion.