Handala
| Handala | |
|---|---|
 Handala, the Palestinian defiance symbol | |
First appearance |
|
Last appearance | 1987 |
| Created by | Naji al-Ali |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | حنظلة |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | 10 year old child |
| Affiliation | Justice, steadfastness (see sumud), poverty |
| Origin | Palestinian refugee |
| Nationality | Palestinian |
Handala (Arabic: حنظلة, romanized: Ḥanẓala), also Handhala, Hanzala or Hanthala, is a prominent national symbol and personification of the Palestinian people.[1][2]
The character was created in 1969 by political cartoonist Naji al-Ali, and first took its current form in 1973. Handala became the signature of Naji al-Ali's cartoons and remains an iconic symbol of Palestinian identity and defiance. The character has been described as "portraying war, resistance, and the Palestinian identity with astounding clarity".[3]
Early publication
Handala appeared for the first time on Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Seyassah on 13 July 1969,[1] and first turned his back to the viewer and clasped his hands behind his back from 1973 onwards.[4]
Usage
Current usages of the Handala motif include:
- The web mascot of the Iranian Green Movement[5]
- In Israeli artwork, particularly alongside the Israeli character Srulik[6]
- The ship used in the July 2025 Gaza Freedom Flotilla which challenged the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza was named after it.[7][8][9][10]
Gallery
A mural featuring Handala on rubble from a destroyed building in Gaza City; the text reads 'There is hope' in Palestinian Arabic
See also
References
- 1 2 Faber, Michel (10 July 2009). "Review: A Child in Palestine: The Cartoons of Naji al-Ali". The Guardian.
- ↑ Alazzeh, Ala (2012). "Abu Ahmad and His Handalas". In LeVine, Mark; Shafir, Gershon (eds.). Struggle and Survival in Palestine/Israel. University of California Press. pp. 427–444. ISBN 978-0-520-26252-2. JSTOR 10.1525/j.ctt1ppwdk.34.
…one of the most popular symbols of Palestinian nationalism.
- ↑ Gandolfo 2010, p. 60.
- ↑ Ashley, John; Jayousi, Nedal. "Discourse, Culture, and Education in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 49 The Connection between Palestinian Culture and the Conflict" (PDF). Netanya Academic Centre. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
- ↑ Sadeghi, Shirin (18 November 2009). "QODS DAY: Protesters Transform Jerusalem Day Into Iran Day". HuffPost.
- ↑ Gil Stern Zohar (7 January 2011). "Guest Columnist: Srulik, meet Handala". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 23 March 2026. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
- ↑ "Freedom Flotilla to sail for Gaza again on July 13". Dawn. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ↑ "Freedom Flotilla to Dispatch 'Handala' Ship to Gaza Next Week". MINA News. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ↑ "Σαλπάρει το «Handala» για τη Γάζα: Νέα αποστολή του Freedom Flotilla - «Αυτή η αποστολή είναι αφιερωμένη στα παιδιά της Γάζας»" ["Handala" sets sail for Gaza: New mission of the Freedom Flotilla – "This mission is dedicated to the children of Gaza"]. To Kouti tis Pandoras (in Greek). 7 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ↑ "Meaning behind Handala: Why new flotilla carries Palestine's icon of defiance". Türkiye Today. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
Bibliography
- Singh, Ashutosh (1 October 2019). "Time and Waiting: The Fulcrum of Palestinian Identity". Arab Studies Quarterly. 41 (4). doi:10.13169/arabstudquar.41.4.0317. S2CID 214325563.
- Olin, Margaret (2019). "How Long Will Handala Wait? A Ten-Year-Old Barefoot Refugee Child on Palestinian Walls". Timescapes of Waiting. pp. 176–197. doi:10.1163/9789004407121_012. ISBN 978-90-04-40712-1. S2CID 203233320.
- Habashi, Janette (2017). "The Evolvement of National Identity: A Never-Ending Process". Political Socialization of Youth. pp. 151–175. doi:10.1057/978-1-137-47523-7_8. ISBN 978-1-137-47522-0.
- Gandolfo, K. Luisa (1 January 2010). "Representations of Conflict". Radical History Review. 2010 (106): 47–69. doi:10.1215/01636545-2009-020.
- Woźniak, Marta (2014). "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Polititcal Cartoons of the Arab Spring". Hemispheres. Studies on Cultures and Societies. 29 (2): 79–97.