While chatting via IM with a friend who lives "somewhere in the Middle East" I mentioned that I'd put some photos taken in Ramallah and Gaza up on my Flickr account.

I noticed, he responded. Could you tag them with "Palestine" so that people can find them easily?

Sure, I said.

But then I went over to the Flickr page called Palestine and saw the following statement: Zionism = Racism
No Zionists are NOT welcome here!

Oh dear. Guess that means I can't share my photos - me being a Zionist, a racist and God knows what else. Pity.

Okay, sarcasm aside: I just think this reactionary sloganeering is so damned boring. (and stupid). Would somebody change the script, please? It's like listening to Saeb Erakat and the Israeli spokesman of the day addressing CNN's cameras after a suicide bombing: "The Palestinian Authority condemns this act" and "This is yet more evidence that Israel does not have a partner for peace." (that "click" you just heard was the sound of the button on the tape recorder.)

[Update: After posting this late last night, I woke up to find an email from Haitham. Full disclosure: he is the friend who asked me to tag the photos with Palestine. Turns out that he is also the one who created the Palestine page on Flickr - which I didn't know, otherwise I would have discussed the issue with him directly rather than implying on my blog that he is a "stupid jerk." (oops). Anyway, for the record: I don't think that my friend Haitham is a stupid jerk. And he removed the offending text, which does not no longer reflects his views. Et voila, another silly online controversy-that-shouldn't-have-been is gone. If only everything in life could be so simple. And if only I had taken the trouble to investigate this issue before writing the post.]

On the other hand, Karim posted a much more imaginative photo essay about peace on his blog. (not for prudes).

Oh, how I love the internet. I discover such great stuff.

P.S. Someone else who likes to buck convention is coming to stay with me tomorrow.