From Partners

Promoting Palestinian Rights For Valentine's Day

This article, written by Christa Blackmon, appeared on Palestine Note on February 14,2012

Today is Valentine’s Day! Whether you choose to celebrate it by caving to mass marketing of consumer products, sharing hilarious anti V-day cards on Facebook, or just enjoying a day that celebrates chocolate, nearly all of us mark the occasion in one way or another.

But how can you celebrate Valentine’s Day, or any day for that matter, when you live under a system that is constantly separating you from them? That’s the subject of the Love Under Apartheid project helmed by Palestinian-American graduate student Tania Keilani which has quickly gained a following since its debut on February 13th 3:30pm EST (that’s less than twelve hours before the publishing of this article!).

FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION

Love Under Apartheid showcases the real-life stories of Palestinians who must endure the pain of separation due to the injustice of the Israeli occupation and laws that discriminate against non-Jews in Israel. To promote the site’s debut, Ms. Keilani and her colleagues produced a satirical video called “Checkpoint Date” and uploaded it to the Funny Or Die community.

The minute and a half skit depicts a young man’s struggles to get to his date on time while dealing with soldiers who hound him all the way from the shower to squeezing themselves onto his bike. Though he eventually reaches his destination, and his lovely lady, the struggle isn’t over as two soldiers at their restaurant table are already gobbling up some of the menu. Soon after its debut, #LoveUnderApartheid began trending on Twitter with notable Palestinian tweeps Remi Kanazi and Maysoon Zayid joining in.

READ MORE AT Palestine Note

*Photo Credit: Rusty Stewart

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