Tuesday, February 03, 2015
Elder of Ziyon
Al Hayat al Jadida, which is an official Palestinian Authority daily newspaper, published a cartoon of Mohammed this week.
The cartoon was complimentary, showing Mohammed on top of a globe spreading "seeds of love."
Mahmoud Abbas sprung into action, ordering an immediate investigation. He emphasized the need to take deterrent action against offenders , stressing respect for sacred religious symbols.
Al Hayat al Jadida panicked and issued an immediate apology, saying it had created an inquiry into the matter and saying that the point of the cartoon was to emphasize Islam's love of peace.
The artist, Mohammed Sabanneh, a Muslim, said he meant no harm. Backtracking from the caption of the cartoon, he wrote on Facebook that it was not a picture of Mohammad but "a symbol of humanity enlightened by what the Prophet Muhammad brought."
His life is becoming a living hell because of his attempt to show a message of how peaceful Islam is.
UPDATE: We've discussed this cartoonist before. He was arrested for taking money for Hamas in Jordan, but he told the world he was arrested by Israel because of his cartoons. This might get interesting... (h/t Vandoren)
