"This English translation of the Hebrew “Kansu” as “pound” (or its synonym “bang,”) literally means to beat, but also has a colloquial meaning connoting sexual penetration. In the Hebrew original, the double-entendre is inverted: “Kansu B’” has the colloquial meaning of physically attacking someone, but literally means to enter, sexually or otherwise – this sexual connotation can be found on multiple Hebrew-language sex blogs.
The phrase “their mother,” “ima shelahem” in Hebrew, also has the colloquial meaning of “with great intensity.” The idiom developed precisely because, for many people, witnessing their mother being assaulted is more painful than receiving a blow to their own person. In the context of the city’s banner, the language of sexualized violence is borrowed in order to articulate ruthless subjugation of Gaza’s Palestinian population.
Clearly the Or Yehuda City Council’s intent was to show support for the Israeli army with what it considered to be clever wordplay. By choosing the crass expression “Kansu ba-ima shelahem” – meaning “beat them with great intensity” and also “enter their mother” – the council was both encouraging violence toward Palestinians and subtly tapping into rape culture, which is widespread in Israel.
The banner’s appearance in Or Yehuda came just days after a composited image suggesting Gaza’s sexual violation was widely shared by regular Israelis on the popular social networking application, WhatsApp." (thanks Baheyya)
The phrase “their mother,” “ima shelahem” in Hebrew, also has the colloquial meaning of “with great intensity.” The idiom developed precisely because, for many people, witnessing their mother being assaulted is more painful than receiving a blow to their own person. In the context of the city’s banner, the language of sexualized violence is borrowed in order to articulate ruthless subjugation of Gaza’s Palestinian population.
Clearly the Or Yehuda City Council’s intent was to show support for the Israeli army with what it considered to be clever wordplay. By choosing the crass expression “Kansu ba-ima shelahem” – meaning “beat them with great intensity” and also “enter their mother” – the council was both encouraging violence toward Palestinians and subtly tapping into rape culture, which is widespread in Israel.
The banner’s appearance in Or Yehuda came just days after a composited image suggesting Gaza’s sexual violation was widely shared by regular Israelis on the popular social networking application, WhatsApp." (thanks Baheyya)
