Man Bites Dog--A Useful Koran Reading

Last week, the BBC interviewed three Palestinians, including Salaheddin, a 50-ish musician in Gaza City:

I lead a group of 26 musicians - we play traditional Palestinian music. But for the last two months we haven't been able to work.

This group, Hamas, believe they are the leaders of Islam. The violin, piano, flute, all these instruments are banned. Only the drum is allowed. They say any other instrument is not mentioned in the Koran. . .

Hamas have already beaten one of my singers for singing for Fatah. He was attacked at the wedding where he went to perform.

We had to send him to Israel for hospital treatment.

We have to keep our traditional music because it is Palestinian. People without traditions are not civilised, they are nothing.

Notably:

1. Israeli healthcare remains a humanitarian lifeline in Gaza, including in particular treating victims of inter-Palestinian violence.



2. A mystery is solved. All that ear-splitting drumming is what drove people in Gaza nuts.



3. Banning modern instruments, says News for Members of the Tribe, shows Hamas is emulating China during the Cultural Revolution. And we all know how well that turned out for the Chinese.



4. Elder of Zion spots a silver lining in the edict (definitional hyperlink added):

   Far be it from me to try to interpret the Koran. But if Hamas says that believing Muslims must stay away from anything not mentioned in the Koran, may I suggest a few other things that would also be haraam:
   
   AK-47s
   Bomb belts
   "Homemade" rockets
   The Internet
   Electricity
   Gasoline
   Jerusalem

Which leaves this question: "What's all this I hear about banning violins in Palestine?"