Naji Salim al-Ali was a Palestinian political cartoonist born in 1938 in the northern village of Al-Shajara. He was known for his criticism of Israel, its politics and its leaders and while he composed more than 40,000 cartoons, perhaps most well known is the character Handala (the cartoon shown in this post). Naji al-Ali was shot in the face in London on July 22, 1987. The shooter remains unknown and Naji al-Ali died five weeks later in hospital care.
The character, Handala, represents Naji al-Ali when he was a ten year old boy. He chose this depiction because this was the age at which he and his family were forced to leave Palestine. Naji al-Ali stated that Handala would forever remain ten years old until he was allowed to return to his home. The cartoon was first published in Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Siyasa, in 1969. The figure usually has his head turned from the viewer as he is baring witness to an event of some kind or participating in it in some way by writing, throwing a rock, hugging, etc., and almost always has his hands clasped behind his back. Handala's face was drawn facing away from the viewer and his hands clenched behind his back permanently from 1973 and thereafter. This came as the result of the war in October of 1973 which lead to a set of agreements manufactured by Henry Kissinger that were thought to impose an unjust solution on behalf of the Palestinians in regards to the conflict. The position of Handala's hands and head were meant to condemn these solutions and to show a lack of participation in a prejudiced proposition.
The boy wears ragged clothes and goes barefoot, symbolizing the neglected and poverty stricken conditions of the refugee camps. His hair is bristled like porcupine spikes which he can use as a weapon. Handala is thought to have his name derived from the handhal plant which grows deep roots and is resilient in its ability to thrive despite attempts to cut it down or pull it from the earth. Naji al-Ali used Handala as his signature for his cartoons and the character has survived as a symbol for the Palestinian refugee as well as Palestinian opposition and identity.
I see Handala quite frequently graffitied along the enormous wall being built around Jerusalem and the West Bank, drawn on the sides of buildings, buses and along the alleys of refugee camps. I have taken a few pictures of him, but I'm not sure if any are posted online (I'll double check and remedy this). A young woman in the Al-Azzeh refugee camp in Bethlehem took the time to explain to me the significance of Handala to the people of Palestine and now I've shared it with you. Even before the explanation of exactly what Handala is, I found him to be a profoundly simple yet powerful character.
The character, Handala, represents Naji al-Ali when he was a ten year old boy. He chose this depiction because this was the age at which he and his family were forced to leave Palestine. Naji al-Ali stated that Handala would forever remain ten years old until he was allowed to return to his home. The cartoon was first published in Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Siyasa, in 1969. The figure usually has his head turned from the viewer as he is baring witness to an event of some kind or participating in it in some way by writing, throwing a rock, hugging, etc., and almost always has his hands clasped behind his back. Handala's face was drawn facing away from the viewer and his hands clenched behind his back permanently from 1973 and thereafter. This came as the result of the war in October of 1973 which lead to a set of agreements manufactured by Henry Kissinger that were thought to impose an unjust solution on behalf of the Palestinians in regards to the conflict. The position of Handala's hands and head were meant to condemn these solutions and to show a lack of participation in a prejudiced proposition. The boy wears ragged clothes and goes barefoot, symbolizing the neglected and poverty stricken conditions of the refugee camps. His hair is bristled like porcupine spikes which he can use as a weapon. Handala is thought to have his name derived from the handhal plant which grows deep roots and is resilient in its ability to thrive despite attempts to cut it down or pull it from the earth. Naji al-Ali used Handala as his signature for his cartoons and the character has survived as a symbol for the Palestinian refugee as well as Palestinian opposition and identity.
I see Handala quite frequently graffitied along the enormous wall being built around Jerusalem and the West Bank, drawn on the sides of buildings, buses and along the alleys of refugee camps. I have taken a few pictures of him, but I'm not sure if any are posted online (I'll double check and remedy this). A young woman in the Al-Azzeh refugee camp in Bethlehem took the time to explain to me the significance of Handala to the people of Palestine and now I've shared it with you. Even before the explanation of exactly what Handala is, I found him to be a profoundly simple yet powerful character.
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