Gangnam 'Gaza Style' goes viral to make a point, or two

Just in case you thought it was all over, Gangham Style parodies are still a hot item on YouTube, and this one is a tongue-in-cheek version all the way from the Gaza Strip. Fun, but with a serious message too.

Five Palestinian men and one child got together, with a friend holding a mobile phone, along with an excellent sense of humor, to put together this latest "Gangnam Style" parody video. 

While it was fun to make, the Palestinians did also want to get a message across by showcasing some of the problems being experienced in the area. One of the dancers has a handwritten sign taped to his back, reading "Unemployment" in both Arabic and English.

As the group travels around in their car, they run out of gas, which means they have to push it, all the while continuing their "Gangnam Style" dance. 

Next stop is the service station, where a "no fuel" sign awaits them at the gas pump. Nothing for it, the group then have to ride donkeys "Gangnam Style." 

Then the group gets together, hoping to play a game of soccer with the kids, only to find that their playground is a disaster area.

The leader of the group was Muhamnad Barakat, who said that all they needed to make the video was a mobile phone. There was no fancy editing or directing used in the production and the Internet was there and available to get their message out to the world.

“A group of Palestinian young men are making this Gangnam Style video clip to highlight the hardship in Gaza. No one’s done this before. We’re hoping to focus on Gaza issues through this simple means,” Barakat said. “Our instruments are simple ones…thank God we can send a message to the world through our mobile phones,” he added.

Another member of the group, Walid Afaghani, told Reuters, “The message is about our suffering, prisoners, unemployment, and lack of electricity that causes us problems.”

Italian freelance journalist, Shantal, actually watched the group perform during a visit to Gaza. “It is funny, so you enjoy while you see it, but at the same time it gives a strong message,” she said.

While it was simple to make, this video shows they they did have a bit of rehearsal first before making the main event. According to the UN, Gaza's unemployment is currently at over 40%, while local economists say it is more likely to be 60%. With the restrictions imposed on Gaza by Tel Aviv, the Palestinian Authority – especially the Gaza Strip – is facing a severe financial crisis. The area has to rely heavily on money from donor countries, and is deeply in debt to both banks and the private sector. 

Economist Mohsen Abu Ramadan told Press TV, “The Palestinian Authority is in deep financial trouble and the economy has been taking a nosedive in recent years because of the lack of a clear economic policy and the restriction imposed by Israel on Palestinian imports and exports.”

In the unlikely event that readers don't recognize the soundtrack of the video, the music is a cover of Psy's "Gangnam Style" which became the first video to reach 1 billion hits on the Internet, mainly on YouTube.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/343036