Hospital Case

In the hospital scene (P. 29-33), the meaning of the keffiyeh is pretty evident. Everyone wants to have his or her picture taken with the scarf on. The panels on page 149 also play a significant role in showing the importance of the keffiyeh. In all three of the panels, Sacco portrays himself as a visitor/stranger in Refugeeland. This is the first time he is at a refugee camp so there is a big possibility that he is quite uncomfortable. Sacco is only shown as a dark silhouette. This represents his distance from the people there as he watches everything going on. In the hospital scene, the Palestinians rush over to Sacco and are eager to talk to him and learn about him. On page 149, the people keep their distance and Sacco is unsure how to approach these people. In the first panel, Sacco is small and the people he sees are unhappy and not in good spirits. The second panel shoes Sacco a little bit larger than in the first one and the people are Palestinians and they all have Keffiyehs on. Sacco is taken aback that he is not immediately welcomed. The third and final panel shows Sacco larger than in the first to panels and he is looking at the Israeli’s. They are viewed as people of power because they have weapons and uniforms. The Keffiyeh is the Palestinians on version of a uniform.

Michelle Malkin refers to the Keffiyeh as a symbol of “Murderous Palestinian jihad.” She is outraged at the celebrities who wear the scarf for fashion and have no idea of what the true meaning and the significance that the Keffiyeh has to Palestinians and Israelis.