Soccer Dad

Fine arabian chargers

Horse racing appears to be really popular among the Palestinians.

Unfortunately there was an accident at the races today near Nablus.

A Palestinian man , left and a horse rider, lay on the ground after they collided during a horse race ...

More interesting is that they also have horse races in Gaza. Camel races too.

I wouldn't say that the animals in either case look particularly undernourished. How severe was the Israeli blockade really in terms of letting in food and necessities?

UPDATE: The German language Israeli blog Beer7 linked to this post. Since I don't understand German, the blogger, Ruth, e-mailed me a translation. Many thanks:

In the Gaza Strip under Siege

people are suffering very, very much. Therefore they are so desparate that all rocket and sniper attacks and any attempted suicide bombing is if not justified so at least understandable and comprehensible. At least this is consensus in the Western Media.

The news agency Reuters has done its part in spreading this perception, for example:

Gaza blockade creates new hurdles for gravediggers from January of this year. The population of the Gaza Strip cannot even bury its dead in deignity because of the evil Israelis!

Here, Reuters shows in a video clip how Gaza strip suffers under closure, adding already that they cannot possigly lend a hand to Hamas propaganda since the organisation denies the charge.

Then in March Russia calls on Israel to lift Gaza blockade

RAMALLAH, West Bank, March 21 (Reuters) - Russia called on Israel on Friday to lift its blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, saying it was "unacceptable".

"The blockade of the Gaza Strip is unacceptable and should be lifted to allow Gazans to have a normal life," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah

And in April obvioulsy Carter calls Gaza blockade a crime and atrocity

With this background I am expecting daily pictures of emaciated Palaestinians or half-naked children with swollen hunger stomaches, instead this shows up (hattip Soccer Dad):

with the caption

Palestinians ride horses during a competition in Gaza July 4, 2008.

and this:

titled

Palestinians ride camels during a competition in Gaza July 4, 2008

Crossposted on Yourish.