You have to hand it to the Palestinian propagandists. They’ve managed to turn the humble kite into an extraordinarily effective PR weapon — helped along by international media only too willing to accept a carefully constructed narrative of Palestinian children, innocent toys and an Israel apparently incapable of telling the difference.
And all at virtually zero cost.
This blog is going to take a regular look at some of the imagery behind the headlines: the photographs that may appear straightforward at first glance but which, intentionally or otherwise, help to shape the way a story is understood.
Which makes these images, picked out by HonestReporting photo expert David Katz, particularly timely.
Why are kites flying above anti-Israel demonstrations in Berlin and Milan?
Perhaps it is merely decorative. But given the events of recent days, it is difficult to ignore the symbolism.
In Gaza, photographers and activists have repeatedly turned the ordinary children’s kite into a visual symbol of Palestinian innocence. The formula is simple and highly effective: children, brightly colored kites and the backdrop of Gaza’s destruction.
And now the kite has traveled.
It is no longer confined to photographs coming out of Gaza. Here it is above a demonstration in Berlin and Milan, incorporated into the visual vocabulary of the wider pro-Palestinian movement.
That tells us something about how propaganda works.
The location has changed. The visual language has not.
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© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
