(Reuters) Mohammed Assadi - Ahmed Rami wanted to buy his six-year-old son alphabet blocks to help him read, but little Rami wanted a sleek black M-16 plastic rifle instead. Palestinian toy stores are packed with plastic arsenals of rifles, miniature tanks, missiles, and artillery pieces. Toy seller Midhat al-Mallah had toy cars and stuffed animals on offer, but said weapons were more popular. "Even girls want a toy gun," he said. A recent study of 12-year-old Palestinian children found that nearly a quarter wanted to die as suicide bombers in the fight against Israel.
2004-03-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive