Hazim Al-Sha'arawi

''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' (), also known as ''The Pioneers of Tomorrow'', is a Palestinian children's television show that was broadcast by the Hamas-affiliated television station Al-Aqsa TV from 13 April 2007 to 16 October 2009, hosted by a young Saraa Barhoum and her co-host, a large costumed character, performing skits (or "scenes") and discussing life in Palestine in a talk show fashion with call-ins from children (typically aged 9–13 with some as young as 3). The show is considered to be the successor to an earlier Hamas-broadcast children's radio programme titled ''Afnan and Aghsan'' (), which was also moderated by Hazim Al-Sha'arawi.

Presented in a children's educational format similar to other preschool shows like ''Sesame Street'' or ''Barney & Friends'', ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' is highly controversial as it contains antisemitic, Islamist, anti-American, and other anti-Western themes. Israeli sources have characterised it as among the "most serious" of martyrdom operations. The show also gained attention from Disney, who ordered that the first co-host, Farfour, be written out of the show due to his strong resemblance to Mickey Mouse.

Background

In the State of Palestine, various social, cultural and children's institutions funded by Hamas have become an integral part of their terrorist agenda and they engage in incitement, social radicalization, recruitment, and the teaching of children to die like a ''shahid''; according to an FBI report, Hamas has funded schools to convert children into suicide terrorists by means of indoctrination.

The group considers children a legitimate tool in the fight against Israel; Salah Shehade, founder of Hamas's militant wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, stated in an interview that children should be trained before carrying out terrorist attacks, enrolling them in a special unit of the group's militant wing. It was noted that terrorist Reem Riyashi's suicide video message may have been orchestrated by Hamas to use her attack to radicalize Palestinian children. Hamas seeks to equate family "education" in the minds of Palestinian parents with the inculcation of hatred and training for jihad, and to desensitize and radicalize children, leading them to glorify and participate in violence.

Seeing the media as a "decisive weapon", Hamas began spreading newspapers and leaflets, using websites, television and radio, controlling mosques, and supporting vocal groups, all of which glorify Hamas and its ideology. In 2006, just before the 2006 Palestinian legislative election in the Gaza Strip, following the example of Hezbollah's Al-Manar television station, Hamas launched its own channel, Al-Aqsa TV, to broadcast to both Palestinian and global audiences. The network's children's shows also spread Hamas's ideology, including calls to kill the Jews; one such programme was ''Tomorrow's Pioneers''.

Characters

Saraa Barhoum (April 2007 – October 2009)

Saraa Barhoum (), who hosted ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'', was around 10–11 years old when the show started. She was invited to host the show after entering a singing competition. The show's director, Hazim Al-Sha'arawi, has stated that Saraa was the ideal choice to present the show because of the incursions, among other things, she had witnessed. In an interview, Saraa revealed that Israelis had struck near her house with a bombshell, injuring her feet and wounding her little brother Youssef's legs. Despite the messages in ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'', Saraa has explained out that the Palestinians are defending their homeland from the Israelis.

During gaps between shooting ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'', Saraa took the opportunity to develop her singing career. She has performed several concerts in support of her music, recorded several songs with Palestinian children's songwriter Fekry Namous, and has starred in at least one music video, which was hosted for a time at the Palestinian PALN internet network. In the video, Saraa sings about the Hamas youth movement, its presence in the schools, and of the division between Israel and Palestine. The video was criticised for promoting the message "that death, not life, is the prime value". In 2009, recording studio Al-Molatham shot a high-quality music video of the song "Deprived you of Attiari" () from her first album. The video features Saraa walking through rubble and singing a plaintive song about being a mother in Palestine. Images of gravely injured infants are displayed in the background.

Saraa has seven siblings, her father is a university professor and her uncle, , is a Hamas spokesman. In an August 2007 interview, Saraa said she wanted to be a doctor, and if not that, then a martyr.

Uncle Hazim (April–May 2007)

Hazim Al-Sha'arawi, the show's creator and moderator, has appeared in several episodes as Uncle Hazim (also rendered as Uncle Hazem). The uncle of Farfour (Saraa's first co-host, a mouse), Uncle Hazim often plays the role of the disciplinarian when Farfour is bad. In episode 101, he chides Farfour for speaking in English, and in episode 104, he holds Farfour initially responsible for cheating on his exam. Uncle Hazim's biological and familial relations to Farfour's cousins, Nahoul the bee and Assoud the rabbit, are unclear.

Farfour (April–June 2007)

Farfour (; also rendered as Farfur), a Mickey Mouse-like mouse, is a costumed character with a high-pitched voice who co-hosted ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' with Saraa. His name comes from a diminutive of ''fa'r'' which means "mouse" in Arabic.

On the show, Farfour has expressed controversial views, stating that "You and I are laying the foundation for a world led by Islamists" and "We will return the Islamic community to its former greatness, and liberate Jerusalem, God willing, liberate Iraq, God willing, and liberate all the countries of the Muslims invaded by the murderers." In episode 103, he simulates shooting an AK-47 and throwing grenades.

In episode 105 (aired 22 June 2007), Farfour is beaten to death during an interrogation by an Israeli who is trying to acquire the key and title to "Tel al-Rabi", a fictional Palestinian settlement which was occupied by Israelis and renamed to Tel Aviv. Farfour is replaced as co-host in episode 202 by Nahoul, his bumblebee cousin. The idea for the story arc involving Farfour's death came from Al-Sha'arawi. It was initially claimed that the death of Farfour was intended to usher in a new direction for the show.

Other Hamas children's programs, such as a 1998 episode of ''The Children's Club'', have used the Mickey Mouse image to incite terror activities.

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, "We were appalled by the use of our character to disseminate that kind of message." He explained the initial quiet by saying, "I just didn't think it would have any effect... I think it should have been obvious how the company felt about the subject." Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Disney Miller, commented to the press that "What we're dealing with here is pure evil and you can't ignore that." She further commented that "It's not just boutMickey, it's boutindoctrinating children like this, teaching them to be evil."

In a response letter, ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' director, Fathi Hammad, said: "Before ... nyoneobject to our rogram we are trying to install in our children's memories the interest in helift ng ofthe siege on our people and he end ofsupport for the usurper entity of our land and killing our children. ... e Palestinian people continue to struggle not indifferent to such sare left with the executioner and victim." Nevertheless, the show's creators arranged the production of an episode shortly after in which Farfour was martyred off to be replaced by his bumblebee brother, Nahoul. This arranged martyrdom came in direct response to actions by the Disney family.

Several months later, Hamas television again made use of Disney characters, this time in a five-minute cartoon attacking Fatah. The clip depicted the competing movement and its former local leader Mohammed Dahlan as corrupt and anti-Islamic rats, while portraying Hamas as a confident lion based on the Simba character from the 1994 film ''The Lion King''. While Hamas TV executive Hazam Sharawi said the clip was pulled for revising, including removal of the Dahlan depiction, he said there were no plans to remove reference to ''The Lion King''.

In September 2008, Fatah also began broadcasting a competing children's show on the Official Palestinian Satellite Channel (PA TV) network. This programme also featured the usage of Mickey and Minnie Mouse in an episode where children glorified Dalal Mughrabi, a young woman who participated in the 1978 Coastal road massacre.

Nahoul (July–February 2008)

Nahoul (; also rendered as Nahul or Nahool) is a costumed bumblebee character with a high-pitched voice who co-hosted ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' with Saraa following Farfour's martyrdom during an Israeli interrogation. When introduced on Friday, 13 July 2007, he promised "revenge upon the enemies of God, the murderers of the prophets", explaining "I want to continue in the path of Farfour – the path of Islam, of heroism, of martyrdom, of the mujahideen."

On the show, Nahoul has expressed terrorist views. He has stated such things as: "We will liberate Al-Aqsa from the filth of the criminal Jews", and "We will go on Jihad when we grow up." In episode 204, Nahoul visits the zoo, where streaks of cruelty further become apparent. After noticing some sleeping cats, Nahoul proceeds to swing them by their tails and throw them around their cage. He later throws stones into a cage of lions, taunting them with his stinger. After the incident, Saraa chastises him against doing it again, citing a story in the Hadith in which a woman went to hell for starving her cat.

In February 2008, it was revealed that Nahoul was very sick and in need of an operation. Although Nahoul and his parents travelled to Al-Arish, they were denied from leaving Gaza to go to Egypt for medical treatment by Israeli authorities. He dies, what the show calls "a martyr's death", in the arms of his parents. His brother was notably absent. Nahoul is replaced as co-host by Assoud, his rabbit brother.

Assoud (February 2008 – January 2009)

Assoud (; also rendered as Assud), a Bugs Bunny or Roger Rabbit-like rabbit character, was introduced after his brother, the previous co-host, Nahoul, died of illness. In explaining why he is called Assoud, when Arnoub () would be more appropriate, Assoud explains that "A rabbit is a term for a bad person and coward. And I, Assoud, will finish off the Jews and eat them." Before Nahoul's death, Assoud lived in Lebanon; he returned to the homeland of Palestine in order to liberate it.

In the episode aired on 2 January 2009, Assoud was seen dying in a Gaza hospital after being injured in an Israeli attack. On his deathbed, he tells Palestinian children that they must fight and die to liberate Haifa, Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities. Assoud hinted in episode 302 that he would be replaced by a tiger when he was martyred.

Nassur (February–October 2009)

Nassur () is the fourth co-host of ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'', who was introduced on 13 February 2009. He is a brown bear who claims to have come to the Gaza Strip to become one of the mujahideen and to defend the children of Palestine (although he gives evidence that he may have come from Iran). As such, he has vowed in his debut episode to join the Al-Qassam Brigades, in which his plans include wielding a gun and performing Jihad. He survives in the series finale.

Karkour (March 2013)

Karkour (), a chicken, appeared in the next episode, which aired on 29 March 2013. In this episode, children were invited to the studio to tell the host their wish to die as ''shahids'', and they sang a song about it. On 28 July 2014, the brother of Mohammed al-Arir, who was killed in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), published an article on The Electronic Intifada website claiming that Mohammed played the chicken Karkour in the show Pioneers of Tomorrow, with a photo of the character in costume. The article makes no mention of the fact that the late actor was a Hamas terrorist and was killed in the shooting, and that he played the "resurrected" Nahoul in an episode calling for the murder of Jews.

Episodes

Due to political instability and regional conflict between Hamas and Fatah parties, the show has not maintained uninterrupted broadcasting. During the Battle of Gaza in June 2007, the Al-Aqsa TV station was taken over and shut down by Fatah gunmen. In September 2008, Fatah also began broadcasting a competing show targeting children on the Official PA TV network. Further complicating regular broadcast of ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' were controversies surrounding the show itself. Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti successfully lobbied to have the show shut down for some time, although this ban was later lifted. Factors such as these led to broadcast dates often being irregular.

:''Note: With the exception of episode #20 (the fourth episode of Season 4), whose original airdate was a Tuesday, the original airdate for all other episodes was a Friday.''

Season 1: April–June 2007

Season 2: July 2007 – February 2008

Season 3: February 2008 – January 2009

Season 4: February–October 2009

Controversies

Criticisms and responses

The show, brought to Western attention by pro-Israel organizations such as Palestinian Media Watch and MEMRI, supposedly deals with Islamic traditions and lifestyles, some as innocuous as the importance of drinking milk, and Muslim customs such as performing one's daily prayers, but also advocates messages of Islamism such as "Resistance Jihad", and the loathing of Israel, the capitalist economic system, the United States, and the Western world.

According to Palestinian Media Watch, two animal character co-hosts, the Mickey Mouse look-alike Farfour and Nahoul the bee, were used to "champion violence, promote hatred of Israel and preach about world Islamic supremacy." Later in the show's narrative, the characters were, as the show described it, "martyred", with the deaths either directly or implicitly blamed on the Jews, the people of Israel, or those perceived as Zionists.

Criticisms concerning the content and methods employed in the broadcast of ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' have come from a variety of sources. Israeli officials and critics from the Anti-Defamation League have denounced the program as incendiary and outrageous in content. Watchdog groups, Palestinian Media Watch and MEMRI have described the show as "anti-Israeli," and PMW has commented on the show's "champion ng ofviolence, promoton ofhatred of Israel and preach ngabout world Islamic supremacy." Within the Arabic community, critics 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. Harsher Arabic and Palestinian critics have suggested that the show is nothing short of an attempt at the indoctrination of children.

On the other hand, defenders of the show have suggested that the show's notoriety stands as yet more proof of the political motivations behind the anti-Arabist and Islamophobic subjection of Palestinians to the strictest scrutiny and subsequent generalizations of Arabs to support an improper negative stereotype. The argument has been advanced that "Israel is following all the Palestinians, large and small, and placing them under a microscope with a predefined concept of culture, media and religion. It only wants to catch up alestiniansand accuse them on themes of terrorism." Criticism of the show has been regarded as criticism of Islam as a religion.

Furthermore, proponents of the show claim that Saraa Barhoum is only an "innocent girl ... incapable of incitement." It has also been suggested by a variety of sources that, holding judgment aside, the show's content is simply reflective of the realities of life in the occupied territory. Relatedly, it is argued that Zionist critics in particular are disturbed by the fact that the show provides "Arab and Muslim children iththe opportunity to participate in public forum contextto freely express their real feelings egarding life inPalestine." 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 social mores. The timing of certain critical publications has also been considered provocative.

Removal by the Palestinian Ministry

After attracting international attention for its use of the Mickey Mouse-lookalike, Farfour, Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti stated the use of the character was a "mistaken approach" and the program was pulled from Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV and placed under review at his ministry's request.

Al-Aqsa TV board chairman Fathi Hamad replied that the station would neither pull the program, nor change the subject matter. He stated that " is campaign of criticism is part of a plan orchestrated by the West and the occupying power to attack Islam on the one hand and the Palestinian cause on the other." An Al-Aqsa TV representative responded to Barghouti's statements, saying that the station will continue to air the show and that "Barghouti misunderstood the issue." In a later interview with Al-Aqsa TV, Hamad explained that "the vicious campaign that is being waged by the enemies, and especially the Zionist enemy and American imperialism, is not new. It comes from the framework of the vicious campaign against our Palestinian people as an addition to the siege placed on our people. Therefore, we are not surprised by this. They want the Palestinian people to renounce its Islamic religion and belief. In response, we say that whenever our Palestinian people resorted to its religion, Allah supported it. Therefore, we will not renounce our faith and our belief, and we will move forward for the sake of Allah. We are holding to this religion because it is the secret of our victory. They try, as much as they can... Not just by waging their attack on the religion in this context, in order to prevent the Islamic upbringing of Palestinian children, but they also want this people to renounce all its Islamic foundation. They are the ones who called to remove the Jihad verses that appear in the Palestinian school curricula. Therefore, we cannot accept this."

Criticism from the United States

On 1 April 2008, Rep. Joseph Crowley submitted House Resolution No. 1069 in the United States House of Representatives, a resolution " ndemning the use of television programming by Hamas to indoctrinate hatred, violence, and anti-Semitism toward Israel in young Palestinian children." The resolution discusses ''Tomorrow's Pioneers'' by name, specifically stating that:

Whereas Hamas uses their television network, Al-Aqsa TV, to air a children's show 'Tomorrow's Pioneers' to breed new terrorists through hatred for Israel and Western nations; ... Whereas in February 2008, Hamas used a Bugs Bunny look-alike to indoctrinate children by inciting them toward hatred and violence by telling children that he 'will finish off the Jews and eat them'; Whereas in May 2007, Hamas used a Mickey Mouse look-alike in the same children's program to teach terrorist doctrines to children; ... the House of Representatives condemns Hamas for using a children's television program to incite hatred, violence, and anti-Semitism toward Israel; and demands that Hamas immediately suspend all television programming that incites hatred, violence, and anti-Semitism toward Israel ...

Translation controversy

Several commentators, such as CNN's Arabic department, have claimed that the transcript of the April 13 show (2007) provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) contains numerous translation errors and undue emphases. Brian Whitaker, the Middle East editor for British newspaper ''The Guardian'', 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", to the child while ignoring Sanabel's actual reply ("I'm going to draw a picture").
Whitaker further criticised MEMRI's translation. He and others commented that a statement uttered by the same child, "We're going to r want toresist", had been given an unduly aggressive interpretation by MEMRI as "We want to fight". Also, where MEMRI translated the girl as saying "We will annihilate the Jews", Whitaker and others, including Arabic speakers used by CNN, insist that based on careful listening to the low quality video clip, the girl is variously interpreted as saying, "The Jews illshoot us" or "The Jews are killing us." Other sources have also pointed out that MEMRI's translation "I will commit martyrdom" should more accurately have been "I'll become a martyr", a more passive statement.

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, on to the programme where Carmon denounced CNN's Arabic translation. Carmon defended MEMRI's translation of the show, declaring "Yes, we stand by the translation by the very words, by the context, by the syntax, and every measure of the translation."

Reception and legacy

''Flavorwire'' negatively reviewed the series as "an abomination of modern cinematic technology", stating that:

it's shot as one long, static, droning cut, filmed almost entirely within a corner studio whose only décor is makeshift wallpaper of pastel foam alphabet floor mat blocks, and stars the worst Mickey Mouse knockoff ever. What it lacks visually, though, it makes up for in exciting content, regularly featuring such punchy lines as "How will you sacrifice your soul for the sake of Al-Aqsa?" Yikes.

Phil Hall of ''Film Threat'' called the series "a non-stop assault on good taste and intelligence", criticising the cheap production values and anti-Semitic remarks from the characters, while ''The Jerusalem Post'' commented that the character Farfour was "far from lovable" as he was used to preach violence to children. The series was featured in a segment on a 2007 episode of ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart''.

See also

*Brainwashing
*Social effects of television
*List of television shows notable for negative reception

Notes

References

Citations

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External links

Al-Aqsa TV and Radio homepage
* Dean, W.
Facts on the Ground
'. 14 May 2007. – comparative translation highlighting contested CNN translations (see above)
IMDb

{{Hamas

2007 in Internet culture
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