22 January 2013
Screenshot from Israel’s official Central Elections Committee website in Hebrew.
The screenshot above is from the official Hebrew language voter information website of Israel’s Central Election Commission.
Look closely at the bottom center of the image where there is a link providing information for voters with disabilities.
It is accompanied by a graphic containing an outline map. Although small and incomplete, it is clear that the entire territory of historic Palestine, including what would be the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, is covered with a Star of David and the Israeli flag, suggesting the entire territory is “Israel.”
But look at the screenshot below of exactly the same information from the official Arabic language version of the website and you’ll notice the map graphic is not there at all even though the links provide the same information for voters.
Screenshot from Israel’s official Central Elections Committee website in Arabic.
Whoever designed the website appears to recognize that Israeli Jewish voters – the most likely users of the Hebrew site – would mostly be comfortable with this graphical territorial claim, whereas Palestinian citizens of Israel, the target audience of the Arabic site, would understand it for what it is: an assertion of Israeli sovereignty over all of historic Palestine.
Recently, the German interior minister denounced a rap artist’s Twitter avatar which depicted an outline of historic Palestine covered in the colors of the Palestinian flag as “sowing hatred.”
Of course, as I pointed out in a post a little earlier, there is an election in the West Bank today, but it is an apartheid election for Jewish settlers only.
Comments
results
Permalink JeffB replied on
So rather than nitpicking the icons of the Israeli elections. Exit poll results show a huge surge for Yesh Atid (There is a future) which is mostly the Kadima people going back to their Shinui roots. Given this is a surge for a secular party, and the whole theme of your books... has been to push for a secular Israel this might be worth writing a positive comment about. Also Meretz doubled their number of seats.
not nitpicking
Permalink Eric replied on
When a German cabinet minister goes apeshit over a rap artist's map-flag in an avatar, it is hardly nitpicking to point out the same (though obverse) thing on **an official Israeli government site.**
I await the German minister's official condemnation of Israel "sowing hatred." In fact, a diplomatic protest is warranted against the apparent breach of international law (in annexing conquered land) that this portends.
And I'm sure EI will carry an analysis of the Israeli election. Don't you fret, JeffB.
The icon is significant for
Permalink Bibi replied on
The icon is significant for what it doesn't inspire. When an artist used the same basic icon, except with Palestinian colors, German officialdom condemned the use as a message of hate and a desire to exterminate Jews. Strange how its use with Zionist colors isn't condemned by the same German officialdom as a message of hate and a desire to exterminate Palestinians. Can we say 'hypocrisy'?
Israel-Palestine conflict
Permalink George Habash SUPPORTER replied on
The West Bank and Gaza are part of the STATE OF PALESTINE, that is recognised by the INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY! The settelements are illegal, and should be stopped!
May peace come, and shall their be a one state for both Jews and Arabs. LONG LIVE THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE!!!!!! May a State of Canaan arive!
Salute to the resisters of Israel: PFLP, DFLP, PPP, PLF, PPSF, PFLP-GC.
Aswell as, salute to the brave fighters: George Habash, Yasser Arafat, Naif Hawatmeh, Abu Ali Mustafa, Ahmad Saadat, Wadie Haddad, Ahmed Jibril, Ahmed Majdalani, Shafiq al-Hout and others!