[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 24, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H130-H131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
            RETURN ``SESAME STREET'' TO PALESTINIAN AIRWAVES

  (Mr. ELLISON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I brought a friend to the floor with me 
today. As we all know, this is Elmo. This guy taught us our 1, 2, 3s, 
but he also taught us tolerance and understanding. For the past several 
years, he's been doing the same thing for children in the Palestinian 
territories. Because of ``Sesame Street'' in Palestine,

[[Page H131]]

Palestinian kids grow up with the same positive role models as we did.
  But recently, ``Sesame Street'' has been off the air. Now Palestinian 
kids are left watching Farfour. This is Farfour right here. He's a 
mouse who is the main character of a Hamas TV show. Instead of 
tolerance and understanding, Farfour promotes violence and anti-
Semitism.
  This Congress approved funding for ``Sesame Street'' in Palestine 
last year, but because of the position of certain individuals in 
Congress, that means the money is being held up. There's no Elmo, but 
there is Farfour, trafficking and teaching extremism.
  I'm not the only one who wants Congress to release the funding. Even 
the Israeli Government wants it released. Let's get good funding to the 
people of Palestine so that they can grow and strengthen their own 
society. Let the funding flow and give something for Farfour to compete 
with--Elmo.

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