Gaza Zoo, Too Poor To Buy Zebras, Paints Stripes On Donkeys (PHOTOS)

A zoo in Gaza cannot afford to buy zebras and has instead painted stripes on two donkeys, AFP reports.

Israel controls the movement of goods into and out of Gaza and only allows in humanitarian and basic supplies. The zoo could smuggle zebras into Gaza through tunnels connecting the strip with Egypt, but that would cost $30,000. The zoo director, Mahmud Barghut, told AFP: "We couldn't afford real zebras." Donkeys only cost $700.

The Telegraphs reports that the zoo had two zebras, but they died of starvation during the Gaza War.

Check out this slideshow of the zoo's donkey-zebras and other animals. Is painting the animals a brilliant idea or terribly depressing?

Donkey with Stripes

Palestinian Mahmud Barghut, owner of the 'Happy Land Zoo', stands next to a 'Gaza-made zebra', a donkey painted with stripes, in a cage at the zoo just outside Gaza City on October 3, 2009. Faced with an Israeli blockade, the Palestinian zookeepers were unable to bring in real zebras. Their solution was to paint a couple of donkeys at the zoo, which have become symbols of life under the Israeli blockade, a local attraction and a bit of a joke.

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Comments

[Harrier]

If you are too poor, than I approve...great idea, what can the do with a cat?

[BlackYowe]

Well actually Zebras are close relatives of donkeys. Closer than horses.

[janeycat]

I think it is a great guesture of kindness to the kids that are not old enough to know the difference.
the kids willlook back one day and remember the zebra's they saw at the zoo.

now stop all the negative talk ..... and see the good that has been done for the kids...

[brady61995]

jesus christ they are painting donkeys? where is peta when you need them?

[AAFROG]

Awful. Just awful. So cruel.

[Paula Ann]

yes, the idf preventing the animals from being fed was incredibly cruel.

[max08]

Too poor? Israel bombed the zoo, and wont allow any new animals in, not to mention food and fuel.

[brady61995]

maybe if they will stop shooting rockets into residential neighborhoods and electing terrorist to be their formal elected government the world might be more sympathetic to their plight and painted donkies until then they are just savages and terrorist and people are tired of those types.

[amalfedup]

Oh no! Not that old tired argument again! Please stop!

[kareemachan]

Yeah, I really wish the Israelis would stop doing that as well.

[Rog49Thomas]

Sort of like the sad choice they face with political leadership.

But the paint job to portray Fatah as a nationalist organisation has got to be a real work of art.

[Paulo1]

Ok pardon me as I go a bit postmodernist.

There is something highly emblematic in a cultural outlook that says you paint stripes on a donkey so that you have a replacement for a Zebra and that you elect Hamas to run your government in place of an efficient democratic organization. One certainly explains the other, however which is which?

[maninmiddle]

What a bunch of asses. The zebras, I mean.

[BlackYowe]

The name "zebra" comes from the Old Portuguese word zevra which means "wild ass"

[truthartbeauty]

as long as they do not harm the animals I am ok with it. This reminds me of the book Why paint Cats?

[bermanator]

Has everybody forgotten how Hamas booby-trapped Gaza Zoo back in January?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHhs9ihSmbU

[rocketman69]

What a good headline story. Where's the one about the Kassam fired into Israel?

[CigarGod]

Trying to deflect discussion of the subject is an abuse of the system.

[bermanator]

And ignoring terrorism for political purposes is an abuse of our news media.

[Huero]

Maybe they could trade some rockets for a real zebra. I bet Israel would give them a zebra in exchange for no more rockets fired at their towns.

[Chilito]

Pretty good paint job!

Hello, uber-lib huffenpuffers, does anyone of you not see the obvious? Doesn't this adorable animal simply scream, "American Democrat-Socialist Party" when you gaze upon it?

Why not prevail upon your patron Arianna to buy a couple of these guys for you and help the Gaza zoo out? It's a rare win-win-win situation.

[Nunnya]

You do know what "chilito" means don't you?Buy looking at your post it probably fits.

[Nunnya]

You do know what "chilito" means don't you?

[CigarGod]

LOL.
Have a cigar...a small one.

[Huero]

Little chile....so?

[jollyelle]

Gee, but Israel spends a good deal of it's PR saying it left Gaza, funny, how they don't ever mention the blockade? Israel does control and limit......water, electricity, medical supplies but ZEBRA'S too????

how do they expect people to have a life, an economy, a social structure that gives people more to experience than collective suffering and plotting resistance when just the minimum is allowed into the territory???

Sadly, they are missing common sense to gain the security and peace they say they want.

[gbrooks]

But the terrorists could lob the zebras into Israel! They must be controlled!

[Albert Amato]

And maybe a leopard can change his spots.......Hamas can come to grips and give up an armed struggle to take all of Israel and get the peace the children sorely need......It can be done.