Tomorrow's Pioneers
Palestinian television programme
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Tomorrow's Pioneers[a] is a Palestinian children's television show that was broadcast by the Hamas-run television station Al-Aqsa TV from 13 April 2007 to 22 July 2022. Created and edited by Hazim Al-Sha'arawi and directed by Samir Abu Muhssen, the show was hosted by Saraa Barhoum, later by a presenter named Maryam, alongside a succession of large costumed characters. Presented in a children's educational format similar to shows like Sesame Street and Barney & Friends, Tomorrow's Pioneers teaches Islamic morals and values, periodically quoting the Quran. The characters performed skits and discussed life in Palestine in a talk show fashion with call-ins from young children.
- Hazim Al-Sha'arawi
- Saraa Barhoum
- Mohammed Alareer
- Maryam
| Tomorrow's Pioneers | |
|---|---|
Farfour the Mouse, the first co-host of the show, mimicking an AK-47 being fired | |
| Arabic | رواد الغد |
| Created by | Hazim Al-Sha'arawi |
| Directed by | Samir Abu Muhssen |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | Palestine |
| Original language | Arabic |
| Production | |
| Editor | Hazim Al-Sha'arawi |
| Original release | |
| Network | Al-Aqsa TV |
| Release | 13 April 2007 – 22 July 2022 |
According to Palestinian Media Watch and a 2010 statement by Anti-Defamation League Deputy National Director Kenneth Jacobson, the show contains antisemitic, anti-American, and other anti-Western themes.[1][2] Others have regarded the show as a reflection of the realities of life in the occupied territory.
Tomorrow's Pioneers gained attention from Disney, which later requested that the first co-host, Farfour, be written out of the show due to his strong resemblance to Mickey Mouse.[3] Farfour was killed in what the show referred to as a martyrdom, and he was succeeded by his cousin, a giant bumblebee named Nahoul, who served as the show's second co-host until he was replaced by Assoud the rabbit, who was further substituted by Nassur the bear and Karkour the chicken. Nahoul came back in late 2013 episodes of the show, but in the following year, the actor who played him and Karkour, Mohammed Alareer, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Following Farfour's recognition, Tomorrow's Pioneers was pulled from Al-Aqsa TV and placed under review at the request of Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti's ministry, and in 2008, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed House Resolution 1069, which discussed Tomorrow's Pioneers by name, and called on the administration to designate Al-Aqsa TV as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity.
The show's English translation, provided by MEMRI, attracted the attention of commentators, including the CNN Arabic department and Brian Whitaker of The Guardian, who noted that the translation contained multiple errors, undue emphases, and possible bias. In response, MEMRI president Yigal Carmon was invited onto political commentator Glenn Beck's programme, where Carmon defended the accuracy of MEMRI's translation.
Background
In Palestine, Hamas considers media a "decisive weapon"[4] that effectively spreads information in support of the organisation and its ideologies via newspapers, leaflets, websites, television, radio, affiliated mosques, and supporting vocal groups.[5] The use of media is not exclusive to Hamas; in a 2002 letter to Taliban founder Mullah Omar, Osama bin Laden referred to media as "one of the strongest methods" of spreading information in the 21st century. Al-Qaeda strategist Abu Bakr Naji, in reference to the concept of soft power popularised by Joseph Nye, categorised the resources of global powers as either "almighty military power[s]" or "deceptive media halo[s]".[6] Following the Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip, Hamas launched a successful campaign that influenced 84 per cent of Palestinians, who thought that the disengagement was due to armed resistance.[7]
On 9 January 2006, after Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election, the organisation launched its own channel, Al-Aqsa TV,[8] which was established due to the organisation's rising influence in the Gaza Strip.[9] The children's shows broadcast on Al-Aqsa TV, such as Tomorrow's Pioneers, spread Hamas's ideologies, which, according to a 2010 statement by Anti-Defamation League Deputy National Director Kenneth Jacobson, include antisemitism and anti-Western sentiment.[1]
Production and format
Tomorrow's Pioneers was directed by Samir Abu Muhssen, and was created and edited by Hazim Al-Sha'arawi,[10][11] who also moderated an earlier Hamas-broadcast radio programme called Afnan and Aghsan.[b][12] In an interview with The New York Times before Tomorrow's Pioneers began airing, Al-Sha'arawi said that the show "will have a message, but without getting into the tanks, the guns, the killing and the blood", instead choosing to show the audience the rights of Palestinians "through the history".[13] Tomorrow's Pioneers's viewership has not been estimated or officially announced, but during its run, Al-Sha'arawi, who played the character Uncle Hazim,[14] attracted 10 thousand children at the very most during Hamas-sponsored festivals.[6]
Tomorrow's Pioneers revolves around a host, originally Saraa Barhoum, and a costumed character performing comedic or educational skits and discussing life in Palestine,[15] similar to children's shows like Sesame Street and Barney & Friends,[16] with call-ins from children, who occasionally sang their own songs.[17] The show's target age has been contested; Al-Aqsa TV said the target audience was between "three to seven years old",[18] but France 24 pinpoints the target audience as between seven and thirteen.[19] Tomorrow's Pioneers, alongside other Hamas media, periodically quotes the Quran,[13][20] and teaches children Islamic traditions and customs such as performing one's daily prayers,[21] as well as healthy habits like the importance of drinking milk,[22] but it also advocates messages such as jihad, anti-Zionism, and opposition to the United States and the Western world.[23][1] Additionally, the version of Islam that Hamas teaches in its media, according to Lybarger, includes elements of Palestinian nationalism.[9]
Broadcast history
Tomorrow's Pioneers was first broadcast on 13 April 2007,[24] and its final episode aired on 22 July 2022.[25] Episodes were intended to be aired on Fridays at 9 am ET,[26] but due to political instability and the regional conflict between Hamas and Fatah, the show did not maintain uninterrupted broadcasting. During the Battle of Gaza in June 2007, the Al-Aqsa TV station was taken over and shut down by Fatah gunmen.[27][28] In September 2008, Fatah began broadcasting a competing children's show, which also used the likeness of Disney characters, on the official Palestinian Authority TV network.[29]
After the character Farfour attracted international attention due to his strong resemblance to Mickey Mouse, Mustafa Barghouti, former Palestinian Information Minister, stated the use of the character was a "mistaken approach" and Tomorrow's Pioneers was pulled from Al-Aqsa TV and placed under review at his ministry's request.[30] In response, Al-Aqsa TV board chairman Fathi Hamad said that the show did not violate any ethical standards,[31] adding that the criticism was designed by western and occupying powers to oppose Islam and the Palestinian cause.[32] An Al-Aqsa TV representative responded to Barghouti's statements, adding that "[he] misunderstood the issue."[26] In a later interview with Al-Aqsa TV, Hamad said that the Jews want the Palestinians to renounce their religion, since he believes Islam is the key to their success.[33]
Characters
Tomorrow's Pioneers was originally hosted by Saraa Barhoum,[c][34] who was around 10–11 years old when the show started.[35] Saraa's uncle, Fawzi Barhoum, was a Hamas spokesman.[14] In an August 2007 interview, Saraa said she wanted to be a medical practitioner, and if not that, then a martyr.[35] Starting from November 2013, Saraa is replaced by a new host, Maryam.[d][36]
Farfour
Farfour,[e] a mouse from Haifa whose design resembles Mickey Mouse,[37][38] was a costumed character with a high-pitched voice who co-hosted Tomorrow's Pioneers with Saraa.[16][39][19] On the show, Farfour had expressed pro-Islamist views, stating that him and Saraa "are laying the foundation for a world led by Islamists" and they "will return the Islamic community to its former greatness" by liberating Jerusalem and Iraq, among other locations.[38] In another episode, he simulated shooting an AK-47 and throwing stones.[17] In his final appearance, Farfour was imprisoned and later beaten to death during an interrogation by an Israeli official, who was trying to buy Farfour's land.[19][40] The story arc in which Farfour was killed off was created by Al-Sha'arawi.[14]
From an Islamic perspective, the decision to make Farfour a mouse was seen as unconventional. According to Islamic law and Saudi cleric Muhammad al-Munajid, rodents and rodent characters, such as Mickey Mouse, generally have a negative image in Islam, hence why Farfour was killed in Tomorrow's Pioneers.[20] In a hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari, the prophet Muhammad lists rats as one of the five harmful animals, alongside scorpions, kites, crows, and rabid dogs.[41] Emmanuel Karagiannis, in the Routledge Handbook of Political Islam, mentions how Hamas ignored the reputation of Farfour's species due to his popularity among the show's young audience.[20]
Nahoul and Karkour
Nahoul[f] was a bumblebee character with a high-pitched voice who co-hosted Tomorrow's Pioneers with Saraa following Farfour's imprisonment and death,[19] the latter of which was referred to in the show as a martyrdom.[40] He introduced himself as Farfour's cousin,[42] and promised to continue in the path of martyrdom.[43] According to Karagiannis, the choice to make Nahoul a bee was an intentional reference to the 16th chapter of the Quran, An-Nahl, which translates to "The Bee" in English. In the Quran, the bee represents dedication and success.[20]
PETA spokesman Martin Mersereau criticised a segment featuring Nahoul at the Gaza Zoo, in which he threw stones at lions and swung cats by their tails,[20] arguing that despite the show's intent to teach children not to abuse animals by showing bad behaviour, children would likely mimic the actions. Mersereau added that teaching children to respect animals helps them respect other people.[44] In February 2008, it was revealed that Nahoul was very sick and in need of an operation. Nahoul and his parents sought to travel to Al-Arish, Egypt, for medical treatment, but Israeli authorities denied them permission to leave Gaza. He died and was replaced by Assoud,[g] a rabbit.[45][46] Like Farfour, Nahoul's death was referred to in the show as a "martyrdom".[20]
In March 2013,[47] a chicken named Karkour[h] was introduced. He was described as mischievous by his actor's brother, Refaat Alareer, since he made many errors on the show, such as jaywalking and screaming on the telephone. Karkour gained attention from children across the Arab world, who called him to correct his behaviour, but by the next episode, he was back to misbehaving.[48] Unlike Farfour, Nahoul and Assoud, Karkour is not mentioned in the Routledge Handbook of Political Islam.[20]
Nahoul was resurrected in late 2013,[36] telling children that if they encountered Jews they should stone or beat them until their faces "turn red as a tomato".[49] In another episode, Maryam explained to Nahoul the concept of negotiations, which involves forgiving the Zionists for the deaths of numerous martyrs, as well as the division of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, but she later said that she chose the path of resistance.[36] On 28 July 2014, the actor who played Nahoul and Karkour, Mohammed Alareer, was killed by Israeli missiles at the age of 31.[50][48]
Assoud and Nassur
Assoud was a rabbit who replaced Nahoul as the show's co-host, after Nahoul died of illness due to the blockade in Gaza.[45][46] He introduced himself as a member of the Palestinian diaspora.[20] In explaining why he is called Assoud, when Arnoub[i] would be more appropriate, Assoud said that "a rabbit is a term for a bad person and coward", and that he "will finish off the Jews and eat them".[46] Assoud was later killed in an airstrike and,[45] on 13 February 2009, was succeeded by Nassur[j] the brown bear as the show's co-host.[51]
Nassur claims to have come to the Gaza Strip to join the military wing of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades, thereby becoming one of the mujahideen.[51][52] Nassur and Saraa later welcomed the children of Reem Riyashi,[13] a suicide bomber who killed four Israelis at the Erez Crossing on 14 January 2004, onto the studio.[53] The children and the two hosts then watch a music video re-enacting the events leading up to the 2004 Erez Crossing bombing.[54] In a later episode, Nassur claimed to know Hebrew, but when Saraa told him to speak the language, he denied it.[55] Unlike the previous three co-hosts, Nassur survived the end of the original run.[45][13]
Compared to the prior two co-hosts of Tomorrow's Pioneers, Assoud and Nassur, being a rabbit and bear, respectively, held less religious significance. While rabbit meat, which is not mentioned in the Quran, is considered halal by Sunni Muslims, Islamic scholar Ali al-Sistani argued that rabbit and bear meat is considered haram by Shia Muslims. Karagiannis believes that Hamas chose Assoud more for his kid-friendly design as opposed to conveying any religious meaning.[20] Daniel Horowitz, in an analysis of fictional bears in American culture, described bears that appear in children's shows as friendly and comical, but listed Nassur as one of the exceptions.[56]
List of episodes
Due to limited coverage, some episodes might not appear in this list, and most episodes do not have verifiable titles.
| Title [57] | Directed by [11] | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 13 April 2007[24][58] | |
|
Farfour and Saraa discuss martyrdom and the reclamation of Al-Aqsa with Sanabel, a call-in guest. Saraa then discusses the goals of fasting, praying, reciting the Quran, and studying and speaking in classical Arabic. Farfour is later caught speaking English by Uncle Hazim and is chastised. Saraa explains to Farfour that he must have pride in his Arabic language and that the Muslim culture is a dominant force in the world. Saraa adds that the show, whose audience Farfour refers to as "tomorrow's pioneers", shall act as a "nucleus" for the reunification of Gaza, Jerusalem, and Ramallah into one Palestine. Uncle Hazim clarifies that Iraqi women and children have been slaughtered, similar to those in Palestine. Saraa acknowledges that she had seen the news the day prior, which featured a dead fetus and its mother, and that it was very moving. Uncle Hazim goes on, stating that the murders persist in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, and that they have also occurred in Lebanon. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 16 April 2007[59] | |
|
Farfour reacts negatively to a song sung by a call-in guest, Esraa (12). Esraa used the word "surrender" in her song and Saraa explains that they don't want to surrender, they want to win. Farfour agrees, telling various American and Israeli politicians, such as George W. Bush, Ehud Olmert, and Condoleezza Rice, that "we will win!" | |||
| "Farfour and the AK-47" | Samir Abu Muhssen | 30 April 2007[17] | |
|
During a song about answering the Gaza Strip town of Rafah with AK-47s sung by a call-in guest, Harwa (11), Farfour enacts the song in pantomime. Later, a second call-in guest, Muhammad (12) sings "Oh Jerusalem, it is the time of death". Saraa also tells Farfour the importance of memorising the entire Quran. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 11 May 2007[33] | |
|
Farfour prepares for and takes his year-end examinations. He cheats by using a cheat sheet during the test and when questioned by Uncle Hazim, he excuses his actions due to the fact that the Jews bombed his home, and he was forced to leave his school supplies behind. He soon learns cheating is forbidden and fails the test. Afterwards, Uncle Hazim tells Farfour that he should strive to be like scientists and academics like Jābir ibn Hayyān, and he tells the audience to continue studying, despite the Jews preventing them from doing so. Uncle Hazim then explains to the audience that Islam has provided security for the world. He tells the audience to ask the Jews about Al-Andalus, and to ask the Christians how they remain secure in their buildings of worship. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 29 June 2007[60][40][61] | |
|
Farfour's grandfather explains to Farfour the history of Tel Aviv, the Jewish name for the land that was originally called Tel Al-Rabi. The Jews renamed the city after the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. Farfour's grandfather gives him the key and documents to the land and then he dies, and Farfour expresses anxiety and concern over his ability to liberate his homeland. Farfour is then taken to an interrogation room where he is beaten to death by an actor posing as an Israeli official trying to buy Farfour's land because Farfour had called him a terrorist. Saraa later confirmed that Farfour was martyred while defending his land. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 13 July 2007[43][62] | |
|
Nahoul, the bumblebee cousin of the deceased mouse Farfour, pledges to continue on the path of Islam, referencing martyrdom and the mujahideen in the process. He also explains his intentions to liberate Al-Aqsa from the enemies of God. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 10 August 2007[63] | |
|
Nahoul and Saraa discuss the occupation of Al-Aqsa. Nahoul suggests that Al-Aqsa is very sad, since it is being besieged by child murderers, whom he identifies as the Zionists. Nahoul then instructs the audience how to get ahold of the key to Al-Aqsa, which is achieved through morning prayer, blood, sacrifice, pain, martyrs, and endurance. Saraa then suggests they examine what Nahoul has been doing recently, emphasising a visit to the Gaza Zoo where he abused animals to entertain a group of children – connected to a story from the Hadith in which a woman was sent to Hell because she locked up a cat until it died of starvation.[64] | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 20 December 2007[65] | |
|
It is Eid al-Adha and Saraa sings for the audience and an Al-Aqsa news reporter. She has backup vocals from a male choir, and she sings that they liberated Gaza City, not by the Oslo Accords, but by force. The song ends with Saraa singing about the Palestinian victory during the intifada, and she joins Nahoul, who is outside wearing a necktie and a party hat. Saraa asks Nahoul if he would like to give holiday greetings for Eid al-Adha, but Nahoul laments that he has next to no family to convey greetings to, since his two brothers and his aunt were martyred in the First Intifada, Second Intifada, and the Battle of Jenin, respectively. Furthermore, he states that his mother suffers from diabetes, and his father has hepatitis C. Hadil, a call-in guest, discusses the sacrifice of a calf that their family made. Yaquin (13) from Gaza calls in and Nahoul laughs at her, unable to remember her name. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 1 February 2008[66] | |
|
Nahoul is deathly ill. His parents tried to bring him to Al-Arish, but they were denied from leaving Palestine by Israeli officials. After Nahoul dies, the audience is introduced to his brother, a rabbit named Assoud. When Assoud asks where Nahoul is, the parents at first pretend that he has gone on a walk at night and will be back shortly, but then they finally tell Assoud that Nahoul was martyred. Assoud is heartbroken and is determined to take up Nahoul's path just as Nahoul had taken up Farfour's. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 8 February 2008[67] | |
|
Travelling to Al-Aqsa TV headquarters, Assoud tells the audience that he is from the Palestinian diaspora carrying the "Key of Return", which he plans to free Al-Aqsa with. Saraa greets Assoud and explains to the audience that he will now be the new co-host. Assoud asks Saraa if they seek martyrdom, to which Saraa agrees. Assoud restates that the viewers comprise the pioneers of tomorrow, and the show ends with him declaring that he will eat the Jews in the name of God. | |||
| "Assoud vs Denmark" | Samir Abu Muhssen | 22 February 2008[68] | |
|
Assoud rails against the Danish Jyllands-Posten cartoonists responsible for the Muhammad cartoons following their reprinting. He and Saraa discuss redeeming Muhammad with Amani, a call-in guest, and they warn the cartoonists that God will punish them for insulting the prophet. Saraa instructs Amani to boycott Danish and Israeli products. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 9 May 2008[69] | |
|
Assoud visits his surviving grandfather, the first of whom died in the episode where Farfour was killed, who explains to Assoud the history of the cities in Palestine. In answer to Assoud's questions about where the family had originally lived, Assoud's grandfather tells Assoud that they lived in Tel Al-Rabi. Assoud tells him that Tel Al-Rabi does not exist and inquires if he is senile, to which Assoud's grandfather denies. He explains that Tel Al-Rabi was Hebraicised to Tel Aviv. He goes on to say that Tel Al-Rabi belongs to Palestine, offering documents and land deeds as proof. He also states that Ashdod is actually Isdud, Ashkelon is Al-Majdal, and Al-Sab' had been renamed to Beer Sheva, among other name changes. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 11 July 2008[70] | |
|
Assoud is tempted to steal some money from his father, but is smitten with conscience. Iblis then arrives and promises Assoud that no one will know about the theft. Assoud relents and takes two bills despite Shaitan's recommendation to take three. Later, a call-in guest chides Assoud for his theft, explaining that his actions had worsened the relationship between his parents. The guest goes on to explain that stealing leads to Hell and quotes the prophet Muhammad in the Quran as having stated that if his daughter, Fatimah, had stolen something, he would have chopped off her hand. Assoud is also told that his hand would get chopped off if he lived in Saudi Arabia. Saraa takes notes and discusses Assoud's punishment with call-in guests, Asmaa and Nur, who in deference to the Quran agree that Assoud's hand should be cut off. Assoud begs for mercy. On Assoud's request for clarification, Nur opines that if Saraa were to steal her hand should not be cut off, that he never stole so much as a shekel even as a child, and that if Assoud has repented and promised never to do it again then his hand should remain attached. Saraa offers that his ear be chopped off instead, and Assoud again begs for mercy as she smiles at the camera. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 2 January 2009[71] | |
|
Assoud is gravely injured during Israeli attacks on Gaza during the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict. He succumbs to his injuries and dies some time later in the hospital. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 13 February 2009[51] | |
|
Nassur has arrived in the Gaza Strip just in time to become Saraa's new co-host. In his debut episode, Nassur shares with the audience his reasons for coming. These reasons include becoming one of the mujahideen, becoming a member of al-Qassam Brigades, performing jihad, and carrying a gun in order to defend the Palestinian youths. | |||
| "Nassur and the Children of Reem Riyashi" | Samir Abu Muhssen | 3 July 2009[72] | |
|
Nassur and Saraa spend the day with the children of Reem Riyashi, a Palestinian suicide bomber who is described as a shahid. The hosts have created a music video re-enacting Riyashi's preparation for martyrdom that they display for the children in an attempt to explain her patriotism. The episode ends with Riyashi's eldest daughter vowing to become a jihadi martyr when she grows up, and then Saraa delivers a stern warning addressed to the occupier that the people of Palestine will follow Riyashi's example until their homeland is liberated. | |||
| "Nassur and the Expulsion of the Jews" | Samir Abu Muhssen | 22 September 2009[73] | |
|
Nassur and Saraa have a disagreement about what the expulsion of the Jews means. Saraa believes in a more peaceful approach, as they should be "chased away" and that nothing should be done to them in the process. Nassur, on the other hand, endorses the view that they should be slaughtered. Saraa eventually concedes, and the two compromise that "we will expel them from our land using all means, and if they don't want to go peacefully, by words or talking, we'll have to do it by slaughter." Nassur goes on to explain his plan that after the expulsion, Jerusalem will become a new Qaaba-like point of pilgrimage for Muslims. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 16 October 2009[55] | |
|
Nassur and Saraa discuss with a call-in guest the merits of learning English and Hebrew. Saraa explains that knowing their enemies' languages is important in order to establish contact with them. Nassur also claims to know Hebrew, but upon being questioned by Saraa, he denies the claim. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 4 December 2009[74] | |
|
Nassur and Saraa watch a cartoon about education in Islam and how it differs from education in Israel. In the cartoon, a Jewish boy drops some money and a Palestinian Arab boy, named Muataz, picks it up. The Jewish boy tells Muataz that his teacher said that Arabs are "cross-eyed" and "barbaric", which did not directly apply to Muataz. When asked why he did not steal the money, Muataz replies that Islam teaches honesty, despite the Jewish boy's brother telling him otherwise. Muataz also tells the Jewish boy that his family used to have a garden and a large home, but their property was destroyed by the Jews. The Jewish boy asks Muataz what he has learned, to which he says that his land can only be taken back by force. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 22 January 2010[75][76] | |
|
Saraa asks a call-in guest how she felt during the 2008–2009 Gaza War. The guest, a ten-year-old girl, denies being afraid of dying during the war, stating that she wanted to be a martyr for God. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 5 February 2010[77][78][79] | |
|
Raad, a call-in guest from Hebron, sings about his father gifting him a machine gun and a rifle, and expresses the desire to join al-Qassam Brigades when he grows up. After singing about Palestine's victory over Israel and the United States, Raad curses during the song when referring to Israel, prompting Saraa to interrupt it. She told him that the programme is for children, but Nassur told her that Raad's song was true. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 12 May 2010[80] | |
|
Nassur tells the audience about martyrdom. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 29 March 2013[47] | |
|
Karkour the chicken invites the grandchildren of Hamas member Umm Nidal onto the show. They discuss the achievements of her children, such as the Qassam rocket. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 29 November 2013[81] | |
|
Maryam explains the concept of negotiations to Nahoul. She says that it involves forgiving the Zionists for the deaths of multiple martyrs, as well as dividing Jerusalem and giving up half of the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the Israelis. Following Nahoul's backlash, he asked if Maryam supported negotiations, to which Maryam denies by making a hand gesture. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 2 May 2014[82][83] | |
|
Nahoul asks Qays,[k] a guest from Jenin, if there are Jews in his area, to which Qays denies. Nahoul tells him that if his Jewish neighbours approach him, he should punch and stone them. Meanwhile, Maryam asks another guest, a girl named Tulin, why she wants to be a policewoman. Tulin mentions her uncle Ahmed, who is a policeman, as inspiration. Nahoul tells them what police officers do, and when Maryam asks if Tulin wants to be like Ahmed, who also shoots Jews, she agrees. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 16 May 2014[84] | |
|
A girl named Zahra Zaed recites "The Bullet", a poem to remember the Nakba. When recalling what happened to her family during the event, she said that she would buy a bullet, no matter how expensive it would be, to which Nahoul showed his support. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 23 May 2014[85] | |
|
A call-in guest is given a pop quiz about the capitals of various Arab countries, including Jordan, Qatar and Egypt. When asked what the capital of Israel is, she says Israel does not exist, and Nahoul and Maryam affirm her response. | |||
| TBA | Samir Abu Muhssen | 15 July 2022[86] | |
|
A costumed man asks a girl what she knows about the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which she refers to as the capital of Palestine that must be defended from Jewish forces. The man discusses liberating Palestine with a boy, who suggests abiding by traditional Islamic law and praying every morning in the mosque. The man adds that they must wage jihad, and later theorises that the Jews are digging tunnels under the mosque so they can replace the Dome of the Rock with the false Solomon's Temple. | |||
Reception
Following Farfour's death in the show on 29 June 2007, Tomorrow's Pioneers garnered global attention.[13][3][61][87] Proponents of the show, including Al-Watan Voice writer Imad Afana, believe that Saraa Barhoum was "incapable of incitement" due to her young age at the time,[88] and it has also been suggested by Barghouti and Afana that, holding judgment aside, the show's content is simply reflective of the realities of life in the occupied territory.[26][88] Defenders of the show have argued that the reason for the harsh criticism the show has received is that unlike many Arabic television stations, Al-Aqsa TV reflects a view of Palestinian thought unfettered by Western mores.[89] Hamad said that Tomorrow's Pioneers was "trying to install in our children's memories the interest in [the] lift[ing of] the siege on our people and [the end of] support for the usurper entity of our land and killing our children. ... [T]he Palestinian people continue to struggle not indifferent to such [as] are left with the executioner and victim."[90]
Criticisms concerning the content and methods employed in Tomorrow's Pioneers have come from a variety of sources and communities; Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, writing for Palestinian Media Watch, commented on the show's "champion[ing of] violence", describing its messages as "anti-Israeli" and "hostile".[2][10] Within the Arabic community, critics and psychologists have suggested that the show has potential to introduce bias in children at an age when they are unable to properly differentiate between political viewpoints.[91][38] Professor Mia Bloom and psychologist John Horgan, who wrote Small Arms: Children and Terrorism, said that Farfour tells the young audience that "the ultimate goal is to be a shahid",[92] and Arabic and Palestinian critics have suggested that the show is nothing short of an indoctrination attempt aimed at children.[93]
Response from the West
In 2008, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs unanimously passed House Resolution 1069, which was described as "condemning Middle East media that incites violence against Americans and the United States and our ally Israel", specifically targeting al-Aqsa TV for "promoting anti-Semitism and terrorism aimed at Americans and Israelis" and calling on the administration to designate the station as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity.[94] Other Americans, such as political scientist Daniel Byman, saw the concept of Tomorrow's Pioneers as comedic, but acknowledged the severity of the situation in Israel and Palestine.[52]
Response from Disney
The Disney corporation initially had no public statement on the use of Mickey Mouse's image in the Farfour character. Disney CEO Robert Iger later said the company was "appalled by the use of [their] character to disseminate that kind of message", explaining the initial lack of response due to the expectations that the programme would not have any effect, and "it should have been obvious how the company felt about the subject".[95] Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Disney Miller, asserted to the press that "[i]t's not just [about] Mickey, it's [about] indoctrinating children like this, teaching them to be evil",[96] and she requested that Farfour be written out of the show.[3]
MEMRI translation
Commentators such as Brian Whitaker, the Middle East editor for British newspaper The Guardian; and CNN's Arabic department have noted that the transcript of Tomorrow's Pioneers provided by MEMRI contains numerous translation errors and undue emphases.[97] Whitaker wrote in a blog for the newspaper that in the translation of the video, showing Farfour eliciting political comments from a young girl named Sanabel, the MEMRI transcript misrepresents the segment where he asks what she will do, by attributing a sentence said by Farfour, "I'll shoot",[58] to Sanabel while ignoring her actual reply, "I'm going to draw a picture".[97][98]
Whitaker further criticised MEMRI's translation. He and others commented that a statement uttered by the same child, "We're going to [or want to] resist",[97] had been interpreted by MEMRI as "We want to fight".[58] Also, where MEMRI translated the girl as saying "We will annihilate the Jews",[58] Whitaker, along with Arabic speakers used by CNN, insisted that the girl is variously interpreted as saying, "The Jews [will] shoot us"[97] or "The Jews are killing us."[99] Conservative television host Glenn Beck had planned to run MEMRI's translation on his radio programme but was stopped by his producer. Beck then invited Yigal Carmon, a former colonel of IDF Intelligence and founder and President of MEMRI, onto the programme where Carmon denounced CNN's Arabic translation and defended the context and syntax of MEMRI's translation of the show.[97][99]
See also
Notes
- Arabic: أفنان وأغصان, lit. 'Branches and Twigs'
- Arabic: سرّاء برهوم
- Arabic: مريم; also rendered as Mariam
- Arabic: فرفور; also rendered as Farfur
- Arabic: نحول; also rendered as Nahul or Nahool
- Arabic: كركور
- Arabic: أرنب, lit. 'rabbit'
- Arabic: نصور
- also rendered as Qais