An unusual sighting in Ramallah

[Mosby]

I had to rub my eyes a few times to be sure that what I was seeing was real. The setting: downtown Ramallah. The event: International Youth Day. The participants were wearing white T-shirts with logos on the front and back and dark red hats.

snip

My big surprise was to see the public sponsor of the event. The red white and blue logo of USAID with the words "From the American people" appeared everywhere including on the back of participants' T-shirts.

The fact that USAID was sponsoring a youth event might not be totally strange in itself. But to have the American logo brandished all over the streets of Ramallah, on outdoor signs and on the back of a moving sea of people was really a sight to see.

snip

So what's changed? Have Palestinians become less politicized or has anti-American sentiment mellowed?

I decided to conduct my own unscientific poll among the hundreds of youths gathered in Ramallah. for this year's International Youth Day.

My question was simple: Has it become acceptable among Palestinians to wear a hat or a T-shirt praising Americans?

The answer most respondents had can be summarized in two words: Barack Obama.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251133671077&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

[Uzybone]

1. KnR

[Clio the Leo]

2. One of my fav. shots from the WH Flickr stream is......

President Barack Obama waves goodbye from the steps of Air Force One as he departs King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on his way to Cairo, Egypt, June 4, 2009. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)

[Aloha Spirit]

4. Clio that's so rad

Just like you :-)
Thanks for posting,
I'm not around much so I can only read my fave posters these dayz.

[Clio the Leo]

5. check's in the mail!!!!!

(thank you)

[treestar]

3. Just by electing him we proved we are not nuts after all

had we picked McCrook, we'd be in real, real deep doodoo on this planet.

[Cha]

6. Imagine all the People Living

Life in Peace~~~~~~

[Historic NY]

7. Wearing our colors instead of burning them..how refreshing. there is hope.