Palestinians reenact Yassin's assassination

AP/JPost ^ | 03-26-04

[veronica]

A young actor trying to look old and frail, his head covered gently with a white scarf and his beard painted silver, was blown from a wheelchair in a reenactment of Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin's assassination.

The dramatization was the highlight of a rally in Khan Yunis, one of several gatherings that drew tens of thousands across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday night to mark the end of three days of morning for Yassin.

On Monday, an IAF helicopter gunship fired three missiles, instantly killing Yassin as he was pushed in his wheelchair on his way out of a mosque after pre-dawn prayers.

In Wednesday's carefully choreographed skit, a young man in a wheelchair was pushed onto a stage in one of the town's main streets.

Like Yassin, the unidentified actor had a brown blanket covering his lap and legs. The man's beard was stiff with silver paint and he was enveloped in a white scarf.

Flanking his wheelchair, two armed guards, straining to look tough and wearing ball caps and keffiyehs, scanned the sky and swiveled apprehensively left and right to keep watch.

Suddenly, a small fire ignited on the stage and Yassin tumbled from his wheelchair. With a yell, the man writhed on the ground and then fell still. The guards dropped over his body.

Medics in reflective orange vests rushed the stage, loaded Yassin onto a stretcher and carried him above the surging audience. Alongside the stretcher, men pumped their fists in the air.

[ecurbh]

I'm sure the IDF would be happy to help them reenact it!

[freedomlover]

I guess it is a cultural thing - reenacting the death of someone during their mourning period.

[goldstategop]

The Palis are sick and in love with death. Its all they seem to "live" for and that doesn't seem the right description in view of the fact they look forward to death with a gusto. In fact, they revel in it.

[xJones]

Suddenly, a small fire ignited on the stage and Yassin tumbled from his wheelchair. With a yell, the man writhed on the ground and then fell still. The guards dropped over his body.

Dang, I was thinking they'd shoot him.

[AngryJawa]

A truly committed actor would have removed his own head to more accurately portray the spectacular demise of Yassin.

[T'wit]

"Mass Murderer, Accused of 400 Antisemitic Hate Crimes, Shot Dead by Police."

[Ingtar]

They had trouble finding a volunteer willing to leave only his head behind without taking a Jew with him.

[Shryke]

ROTFL, it's amazing what makes the "news" these days. I sure would have liked to have been the director for this play. Sitting in an Apache, that is.

[goldstategop]

I'm surprised they didn't arrange for a theatrical homocide bombing. Its their forte.

[prion]

Later, in an effort to teach the importance of good nutrition, Palestinians dressed up like brocolli and carrots and sang a song called, "The Healthy Way, Six Servings a Day!"

[veronica]

The Greeks gave us Aeschylus and other playwrights, the Brits Shakespeare, America gave the world Rogers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Sondheim, etc., and the Palestinians reenact assassinations and build shrines to pizza parlours that have been blown up, complete with fake body parts hanging from the ceiling.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Lets hope they used live rounds.

[rod1]

Shucks I was hoping this would be a real reenactment starring---Yassir Arafat.

[highlander_UW]

I guess we now know who bought the Sauromon costume left over from the Lord of the Rings films.

[jackibutterfly]

So, what's the purpose of all this? How stoooopid!

[tubavil]

Let's hope Israel's recent tough talk isn't just talk.

Will they continue (as advertised) with rantisi, or wait for another group of Jews to die horribly?

[doug from upland]

If anyone missed it, this glorious event has been memorialized in song --- HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT

[luvbach1]

Real sickos.