Published: 23 November 2017
Last updated: 4 March 2024
P is for Palestine (Forward)
The topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is stirring controversy in unusual quarters.
A Facebook group of Upper East Side mums that is known for tense exchanges is teetering on the edge of dissolution with the publication of a children’s book. And according to anonymous group member sources, the moderators of ‘UES Mommas’ (with over 27,000 members) are discussing closing the group due to the political tension that erupted as a result.
Last week, Golbarg Bashi, an Iranian-Swedish professor of Iranian studies at Rutgers University, took to the “UES Mommas” group to announce the launch of her book P is for Palestine.
Conflict began simmering from the very title. “How is there an alphabet book in a non-existent Palestinian language?” asked one member. (The book is in English.)
P Is for Palestine' children's book sparks outrage among some US Jewish parents (Haaretz)
Dr Golbarg Bashi says she wanted to write an ABC rhyme book with lots of references to the Holy Land and Palestinian culture. However, her book risks being overshadowed by a ruckus about an entry called 'I is for Intifada'
