- Title: Ventriloquist sings on West Bank streets to preserve Palestinian heritage
- Date: 14th October 2020
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF SHOW, EZZ ALJABARI, SAYING: "We noticed that the image and demography of the Old City has been gradually changed. We are trying to tell the people what used to happen in these locations and what the situation was like here when we had a voice and freedom of movement."
- Embargoed: 28th October 2020 10:49
- Keywords: Coronavirus Heritage Palestinians Puppets Restrictions Ventriloquist West Bank
- Location: HEBRON, WEST BANK
- City: HEBRON, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA006D03O4LX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ventriloquist Abed Alsalam Abdo and his nearly life-sized puppet both donned red fez hats as they sang this week in a street festival in the Israeli-occupied West Bank aimed at preserving Palestinian heritage.
The events in the sprawling West Bank city of Hebron were attended by dozens of Palestinians seeking relief from the coronavirus restrictions that have kept them mostly at home.
At one show on Tuesday (October 13), audience members clapped as Abdo sang songs in crystal clear Arabic without moving his lips, giving the impression that his doll, holding a small oud and widely flapping its mouth, was actually the one vocalising.
The show's organisers say it is intended to rejuvenate Palestinian life in Hebron's old city, around which some 1,000 Israeli settlers live under guard by a large Israeli military presence.
Hebron's 200,000 Palestinians often complain of restricted access to the old city.
Ezz Aljabari, the show's director, says it was aimed at "telling people what used to happen in these locations and how the situation was here "when we had a voice and freedom of movement."
(Production: Yosri Al-jamal, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh, Rami Ayyub) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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