Why was my thread on a children’s art display in London taken down?

[Mulligan1789]

I posted a link about a children’s art display by Gazan children that was taken down - saying people could sign it.
does anyone know why it was taken down? I was just trying to post something about a small gesture people could make.

Perhaps because the art was taken down because it was anti semitic and Jewish people found it offensive?

You should ask @MNHQ and they will explain. If it was taken down by mistake they will happily reinstate it. Either on Mumsnet Stuff or by email. I am not sure if it's allowed to post an email address here but look for "contact mumsnet" somewhere on here.

https://www.mumsnet.com/i/contact

Were you the OP?

I thought you had asked for it to be withdrawn after I (and others ) posted the reasons why the artwork was taken down, it had been created from schools in Palestine which feed children and create a narrative of essentially wiping out Israel and promoting Jihad, hence the art work represented those beliefs it seemed

I mean they feed children this narrative.

From what I read the art wasn’t anti semitic? Perhaps I misunderstood, but I read some articles about it, to check it wasn’t anti semitic. If I am mistaken I apologise.

Did it have a link to a petition?

Petitions have a separate board and are taken down if not on that board

Did you read the article I posted?

Representations of Jewish holy sites had Palestinian flags on them

I dont hold much water to 'definitions' of anti semitism, theres a lot in the formal definition of that I dont agree with, but whether you name it anti semitic or not, to show holy sites with the flag of Palestine over them implies that the holy sites shouldnt exist as Jewish sites or under Jewish control.

That is indicative of a narrative that aims to wipe out Israel. To me anyway

A quick google explains why the artwork/plates would be offensive.

"However, the picture on the plate accompanying the text shows the Dome of the Rock with a large Palestinian flag, implying that Jerusalem and in particular the site of what had been the Jewish Temple, would be part of a Palestinian state,”

(The above is a quote from an organisation which complained).

In short, the artwork paints a picture of a Palestinian state in which Israel doesn't exist.

If kids did in fact make these paintings, they absolutely must have been coached into Hamas ideology.

ok thank you for explaining that. @bellac11 i didn’t see the link - I posted last night and just checked this morning and my thread was taken down.
I certainly wasn’t trying to spread anti semitism - the last thing I’d want to do.
The fact that so many children on both sides have died is just so depressing. I think I will stop looking on the news/twitter!

I didnt perrsonally think you were spreading anti semitism, I took it to be a post in good faith because on the surface it sounds dreadful, Palestinian childrens artwork in a hospital taken down after Jewish people complain?

But when you read something like that, it prompts me to say 'there must be something more to this' and of course there was, a quick google led me to an article I posted which set out the issues.

I always try to look behind a story, where is it from, who is it from

Im no supporter of current Israel actions but as usual there is lots of context to things which appear on the surface straight forward

The Dome of the Rock is a mosque.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dome_of_the_Rock

"The Dome of the Rock (Arabic: قبة الصخرة, romanized: Qubbat aṣ-Ṣakhra) is an Islamic shrine at the center of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is the world's oldest surviving work of Islamic architecture, the earliest archaeologically attested religious structure to be built by a Muslim ruler and its inscriptions contain the earliest epigraphic proclamations of Islam and of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[1][2]"

So now we are censoring children's artwork and saying that these kids were coached by Hamas because they painted the most well-known Palestinian "monument"!!! I have no words.
After this I no longer wonder that there are still people on here and in the world condoning the murderous killing of thousands of Palestinian children by Israel.

The Dome of the Rock is a shrine on the site of Temple Mount. It’s not a Palestinian monument, it’s an Islamic monument of deep significance. There is a mosque on the compound too, commonly known as Al Asqa mosque, they’re two different buildings. Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, site of the First and Second Temples which pre date the Al Asqa compound (by over a thousand years) that was built in top of it. Possibly, some people objected to the complete erasure of Jewish history and presence in the area.

"The dome of the rock is a mosque'

Built on the site of the second Jewish temple so historically some would have an issue with that. It is also a holy site for Muslims from around the world and doesn't belong to 'Palestine'.

"After this I no longer wonder that there are still people on here and in the world condoning the murderous killing of thousands of Palestinian children by Israel."

Wow, that escalated quickly.
*Having a personal view on whether this artwork is offensive does not equate to condoning any form of violence.

The fact that pretty much every thread on this board descends into assumptions and name-calling within about 2 minutes of being posted is to me, a very small example of exactly why it's not possible to find a resolution in the Middle East. *

Both sides have deeply entrenched, immovable views and seem unable to have even the lightest conversation without metaphorically chucking things at each other.

*If people on MN can't even call a 'ceasefire' in their verbal spats, why do they think on a much bigger scale, Israel/Hamas should be able to?

Humans, the world over, just like to be 'right' and most of us struggle to see the world through any other viewpoint.
*

I mean, the exhibition would’ve earned a side eye from me at most, but the immediate leap to any objections to it meaning you obviously support the killing of Palestinian children is a massive one.

It seems that stating that the Palestinian people even exist can be interpreted by some on MN as anti-Semitism. And MNHQ clearly lacks the critical judgement to be able to call out that kind of attempt to silence free speech for what it is.

Yes sorry meant shrine. There is Al Aqsa mosque in the Al Aqsa Compound. I used "monument" between inverted commas as from the perspective of children.

I took issue with what you said in an upthread post:
"In short, the artwork paints a picture of a Palestinian state in which Israel doesn't exist.
If kids did in fact make these paintings, they absolutely must have been coached into Hamas ideology."

Which I find greatly disturbing.

Even traumatised children's artwork is not left alone but politicised and censured!

The same could be said about saying that the children's artwork means they've been coached by Hamas ideology!!! Unbelievable.

So under that logic, the mosques that Israel have been actually placing the Israeli flag on this week mean that Israel intends to wipe out Palestine.

Thanks for the clarification.

And yet that’s not what I said.

That's a bit odd as the Dome of the Rock is a mosque, so it would be likely to sport a Palestinian flag as it's an Islamic area of Jerusalem. If the wailing wall had a Palestinian flag imposed on it, it would be easier to see this as provocative.

I mean, the more troublesome art was the one where the artist had claimed that the whole of Israel's coast is, in fact, Palestine. That is quite clearly Hamas ideology, as we have all been reliably informed on MN by multiple posters time and time again that Palestinians don't want to get rid of Israel, they merely want a state of their own right next to it.

So calling Israeli land "Palestine" is a very Hamas thing to do, indicating that the UNRWA schools are maybe not quite so neutral and peaceful as they like to pretend they are if this is what they're teaching the children. Which is something Israel has been saying for years.

If you want to help Palestinian children, it might be worth setting a bit of money aside for later on in the conflict, or after it is done. They'll need all the financial help they can get then. For the time being, I really don't think there is much that can be done to help them as any money etc raised won't be making it to them any time soon. I think we should learn from the Afghani and Ukrainian families we all tried to help in recent years - we all donated the first few weeks and then nothing since then. So maybe let's spread out our help for the Palestinians a bit. Just a suggestion though, everyone should obviously do whatever they feel is right to them

Whoosh.

"Jihad is an Arabic word that can be translated as a “struggle”, “ability to strive”, or the exertion of one’s maximum effort to repeal the enemy by word or deed. One must also distinguish between a “lesser jihad” and a “greater jihad”. The greater jihad – and therefore the more important one – is also called “jihad against self”, i.e. a struggle to subdue one’s own ego, against evil inclinations and tendencies. It is a spiritual striving to attain nearness to God, and is a lifelong conscious striving incumbent on every Muslim.
The “lesser jihad” is fighting in self-defense against an enemy that has initiated an attack. It is also an effort to confront an enemy who unlawfully evicts one from one’s home and encroaches on the freedom of the worship of God. Jihad is not intended to shed blood, encourage disloyalty towards established governments or disrupt peace in any manner. All such acts are against the teachings of Islam."

https://www.alislam.org/question/what-does-jihad-mean/

So now children learning about Islam means Hamas must be teaching them to grow up and wage war on all non Muslims.

Yet you're not allowed to condemn all Jewish people for the actions of the Israeli government (and rightfully so).