Militant Mickey Martyrdom Mouse Axed

Mickey rip-off 'pure evil'

A Palestinian TV programme featuring a Mickey Mouse-style character who urged children to fight Israel has been dropped.

Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said the use of the character had been a "mistaken approach".

The Islamic militant group Hamas had enlisted a Mickey rip-off to preach its message of armed resistance to Palestinian children.

A giant black and white mouse named "Farfour" or "butterfly", but bearing a strong resemblance to the famous cartoon character, had been preaching in a high-pitched squeak to children every Friday on a popular TV show.

The programme, called Tomorrow's Pioneers, was launched by the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV station last month.

Kids are encouraged to phone in to the programme and sing Hamas songs about fighting Israel.

"We will return the Islamic community to its former greatness and liberate Jerusalem, God willing, liberate Iraq, God willing, and liberate all the countries of the Muslims invaded by the murderers," Farfour told viewers in a recent episode.

Farfour also tells children to drink their milk and pray.

Walt Disney's only surviving child called Hamas "pure evil" for using Mickey Mouse as a propaganda tool.

Diane Disney Miller said the show "goes against the grain of humanity".

"Of course I feel personal about Mickey Mouse, but it could be Barney as well," she told the New York Daily News.

"It's not just Mickey, it's indoctrinating children like this, teaching them to be evil. What we're dealing with is pure evil and you can't ignore that."

Mr Barghouti said the programme was under review.

He criticised western media for running the story but for ignoring a video of alleged Israel human rights violations that had been circulated.

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