Jewells of Thought

Memories have resurfaced in seeing this scarf on American campuses and really domestically, coast to coast. I still remember as a child during the Clinton Administration watching Yasser Arafat on the news proudly wearing his keffiyeh as the PLO Leader, the Palestine Liberation Organization at Camp David.

Watching some of the Jewish interviews on Fox has been quite educational to say the least. It’s quite ironic the difference in the Jews and the Palestinians or should I say empty brain empathizers who do not know how to think for themselves much less read vital books that could actually give them something to ponder about in this matter. The Jews know their history, but when they try to have any conversations with those wearing these keffiyeh’s the responses they get are preposterous. They are protesting something and yet they say they don’t know enough about the situation to have their own thoughts on the matter. Instead of talking they will point the Jewish student to Al Jazeera. They have talking points until it comes down to conversation time, then they are clueless.

So what is the keffiyeh and what does it mean?

Simply stated it is a political stance that you stand with Palestinians. That is the short and sweet political answer. The black and white patterned scarf has an intriguing history. The word means ‘relating to Kufa’ which is Kufa in Iraq. The exact origins of this is unknown due to the fact it was worn by the peasants and commoners not the elites of the Iraq society or Middle East society that is more entitled. The keffiyeh was needed for the farmers and peasants as a barrier from nature the sun, sand and dust, while the elites or the educated wore the fez or tarboosh which was more common during the reign of the Ottoman Empire.

Yeah… so do you still learn something new everyday? That I have to admit was interesting to finally understand some of the history… but there is more.

There is only one location to buy authentic Hirbawi keffiyehs. It’s in a factory in the West Bank, also known as Hebron. In 1993 the Oslo Accords adopted a new trade policy the other domestic manufacturers couldn’t compete on an international range. Consumers near and far took an interest in these scarves or headdresses however you wear them. China, though is now the number one producer of most keffiyehs, is that just pure irony or is there a statement in that declaration!

As the keffiyeh became forever linked to Palestine the 1930’s came about with a revolt. Another irony is that the British didn’t like how the keffiyeh was being used against them. So they forced a mandate against the scarves that were being used as masks to conceal the Arab’s identities. The Arabs used them in force and as a mob, this sounds oddly familiar, like it’s deja vu.

Before 1970 it was considered a male accoutrement, then Leila Khaled began to wear the keffiyeh as the men did. It was a travesty for some, but not for long. Now it’s common to see men and women wear this controversial scarf. Yet most American students don’t know why and that is truly the sad piece of the madness falling about these campuses. They don’t truly understand the Middle East at all. They have been duped into believing the Palestinians are the victims and they have no remorse.