‘Spoon of Freedom’: Escape tool of 6 Palestinians becomes symbol of resistance

AMMAN — Palestinians have always had different symbols to represent their freedom; a spoon is the newest sign that has captured artists’ and social media users’ attentions. 

After the six Palestinians tunnelled out of the high-security Gilboa Prison, reportedly using a spoon, a large number of social media users, influencers and artists have been focusing on the simple tool used in the movie-like escape.

The six fugitives included Zakaria Zubeidi, Mahmoud Ardah, Mohammad Ardah, Yacoub Qadri, Ayham Kamamji and Munadel Nfeiat.

A Palestinian-Jordanian virtual artist Beesan Arafat, who describes herself as an artist with “sharp edges”, created a piece of art depicting the spoon the six Palestinians used to extricate themselves from the Israeli prison.

“The men evaded 40 prison guards, three watchtowers, two walls, two barbed-wire fences and a pack of sniffer dogs to get to their freedom,” Arafat wrote on her Instagram post.

“They used a rusty spoon to escape one of the most secure jails in the country,” she added.

The Jordanian illustrator and graphic designer Abeer Anabtawi shared a post of a watermelon and spoon, which are currently symbols of Palestinian resistance that have gone viral on social media platforms.

“The spoon has become an icon. With a spoon, the six Palestinians obtained their freedom,” wrote Palestinian activist and photographer Abdalafo Bassam on his Instagram post. 

Also, Twitter user “@M7rusa” wrote: “Raise the spoon for freedom; raise your spoon for the Palestinian prisoners and Palestine”. 

Samar Khalil, a Palestinian-Jordanian living in Amman, told The Jordan Times on Sunday: “Although four of the six prisoners were recaptured, the Palestinian resistance will continue and from now on, the spoon will illuminate the untold stories of Palestinians”.

The four prisoners who were recaptured are: Zakaria Zubeidi, Mahmoud Ardah, Mohammad Arda and Yacoub Qadiri.