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Celebrity Cook Rachael Ray donning a kaffiyeh in a Dunkin' Donuts commercial.
Last update - 11:08 05/06/2008
U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh
By The Associated Press
Tags: Kaffiyeh, Israel, U.S. 

To Palestinian-American designer Nemi Jamal, the controversy surrounding the kaffiyeh, a traditional Arab headdress, worn by television celebrity cook Rachael Ray in an ad for iced coffee, is just a disgrace.

Dunkin' Donuts pulled the ad last week after critics said the kaffiyeh worn by the Food Network star symbolized Muslim extremism and terrorism.

Not to Jamal, born in Jericho and now living in New City, New York, who said the kaffiyeh is no fashion faux pas but a symbol of nationalism. She is among the Arab-Americans who say the comments are inaccurate and show prejudice.
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"The Palestinian people consider this their flag," said Jamal, who has designed jeans, pocketbooks and neck ties with kaffiyehs. "People often have these in their cars and on key rings. It is about pride and class struggle and nothing else. To say it stands for what they've said is just a disgrace."

Once the trademark headwear of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the hatta, as the kaffiyeh is also called, dates back centuries and is used to shield those who live in the desert from the relentless sun and dust storms. Some wear the cotton cloth as a turban, while others wear it draped against their back and shoulders.

The traditional headdress became symbolic during the Palestinian uprising
against the British occupation from 1936 to 1939, and has been a symbol of nationalism ever since, according to Rochelle Davis, an assistant professor of culture and society at Georgetown University's Center for Contemporary Arab Studies.

Ray's scarf had a paisley design and was selected by a stylist intending
absolutely no symbolism, according to a statement issued by Canton,
Massachusetts-based Dunkin' Brands Inc.

Laila Al-Qatami, communications director for the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee, said that while she thought it was wrong of Dunkin' Donuts to cave under the pressure, she understood the franchise did not want the issue to detract from its marketing campaign to sell coffee.

She added that the recent controversy is the strongest backlash she has seen regarding a cultural article of clothing or an accessory.

"The only thing I can possibly liken to this is if someone were to say that anyone who wears a sombrero is a supporter of illegal immigration," she said. "It's ridiculous."

Zead Ramadan, vice president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in New York, said he was outraged by what bloggers and critics alluded to.

"People are trying to label Arabs, and are trying to do so with clothing items," Ramadan said. "It's intentional propaganda that has been created to mislead unknowing people about a cultural item. Terrorism is not something you wear; it's a state of mind."

Despite the controversy, Jamal said she does not expect any type of backlash to her own business. Determined to make the kaffiyeh the new bandanna, Jamal has transformed them into flowing skirts and low-cut halter-tops that have been worn by a beauty queen in a Miss USA pageant, a popular stand-up comedian, and Sarah Jessica Parker on an episode of Sex and the City.

"People will always say things, but you just have to ignore it and keep doing what you're doing," she said. "There are enough people that respect it for what it is."
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  1.   It would be comic if people weren`t serious 09:35  |  Colin Wright 05/06/08
  2.   Kaffiyeh`s in all shades 09:38  |  Palestinian Brit 05/06/08
  3.   Ban the Kaffiyeh...it represents Islamic terrorism 09:43  |  spade 05/06/08
  4.   Like a sombrero supporter of illegal immigration?? Poor example! 09:53  |  S 05/06/08
  5.   I have the same problem when I see an Israeli flag 09:58  |  Chanalau, Tova 05/06/08
  6.   What you wear *does* matter 10:14  |  Gili 05/06/08
  7.   She looks like Osama 10:24  |  Dror 05/06/08
  8.   #2 Palestinian Brit 10:29  |  Jay A Friedman 05/06/08
  9.   Now the talk backers here know how it feels 10:38  |  Ariel 05/06/08
  10.   R U SERIOUS PEOPLE? 10:46  |  lito 05/06/08
  11.   Arafat made the Kafiye a Terrorist Symbol 10:47  |  b`Galil 05/06/08
  12.   #5 Chanalau tova- qas you should 10:53  |  Polar bear 05/06/08
  13.   Jay - we both know what it means but do we mean the same thing? 11:07  |  Palestinian Brit 05/06/08
  14.   To # 5 11:19  |  amsterdammer 05/06/08
  15.   This is ludicrous 11:29  |  Suad 05/06/08
  16.   Dunkin Donuts a disgrace to Humanity! boycott dunkin.... 11:31  |  Anton Siniora 05/06/08
  17.   I must admit 12:21  |  ahmad 05/06/08
  18.   LOL the US grows weary of Islamic cultural slights 12:27  |  Denise Thompson 05/06/08
  19.   Denise Thompson - in the vanguard? 12:50  |  Mike Friedman 05/06/08
  20.   WE WEAR THE IN TEL AVIV ALL THE TIME 12:55  |  Nephtaly 05/06/08
  21.   US Arabs, recognize Israel`s right to exist and you too will be.. 13:05  |  Amihai 05/06/08
  22.   #18 Denise 13:17  |  James 05/06/08
  23.   Spade #3- Palestinian Christians may also where them.. 13:18  |  Tenar 05/06/08
  24.   This is Stupid 13:24  |  Boaz Shalomi 05/06/08
  25.   And there is no movement to silence in America? 13:26  |  Tenar 05/06/08
  26.   Kaffiyeh 13:33  |  Ahmad Habib 05/06/08
  27.   not the same as sombreros or cowboy jeans 13:33  |  leroy 05/06/08
  28.   Where Will It End? 13:36  |  Pete 05/06/08
  29.   Michelle Malkin can choke on a Kaffiyehlatte 13:47  |  Aphemia 05/06/08
  30.   IT IS ALL ABOUT SUPRESSING ANY REFERENCE TO PALESTINE! 14:28  |  TripleJump 05/06/08
  31.   Whats the matter with that?? 14:38  |  Manolo peaceful man 05/06/08
  32.   #22 James - your statement is equally outrageous! 14:42  |  Ariel 05/06/08
  33.   Can I say that! 14:54  |  Manolo peaceful man 05/06/08
  34.   Climate change: the silly season has started early 14:56  |  outsider 05/06/08
  35.   Ahmad from Ramallah`s got it wrong 15:01  |  utagawa 05/06/08
  36.   NOT A KAFFIYEH!!! 15:07  |  Jamal 05/06/08
  37.   IF the "Dunkin Donuts" are a Pal-product,the Kaffiyeh is OK 15:08  |  AliciaYasmeen 05/06/08
  38.   Palestinian identity behind iced coffee??? 15:11  |  Ed 05/06/08
  39.   I correct myself 15:11  |  Manolo peaceful man 05/06/08
  40.   And British Muslims were offended by an ice cream swirl 15:16  |  Raymond in DC 05/06/08
  41.   Dunkin Do-NUTS 15:18  |  NJ 05/06/08
  42.   Just a reminder to you dhimmi: We are here 15:22  |  POP 05/06/08
  43.   Kaffiya 15:27  |  Zolman ben Moshe 05/06/08
  44.   Now They Know how We Feel 15:27  |  Nick 05/06/08
  45.   to 3 : what would you define AIPAC? 15:29  |  michele 05/06/08
  46.   Celebrating victory 15:32  |  allang 05/06/08
  47.   U.S Arabs and their Rag. 15:35  |  ottomatik 05/06/08
  48.   Kafiye=Teror in the eyes of arab teror victims Why I wonder? 15:39  |  Kaya 05/06/08
  49.   Re#3 15:40  |  Joe 05/06/08
  50.   SWATZTIKA`S & KAFFIYEH`S - TRADEMARKS OF TERROR 15:47  |  david 05/06/08
  51.   Disgrace? Terrorism? Sensitivity? Bah! Just ineffective ad. 15:47  |  common sense 05/06/08
  52.   rag tops 15:51  |  joe Smith 05/06/08
  53.   That is anti-Semitic... ooops wrong Religion!! 15:52  |  Tupac 05/06/08
  54.   TripleJump is spot on! 15:55  |  Adam Cornel 05/06/08
  55.   What about the Confederate Flag, a racist symbol?? 15:57  |  Tupac 05/06/08
  56.   Shouldn`t They be Irate over Terrorism, Instead? 16:10  |  Josh 05/06/08
  57.   the usual, I`m afraid 16:14  |  curious george 05/06/08
  58.   # 34 outsider ...uber right and uber left 16:16  |  Lynn 05/06/08
  59.   S # 4 Then by that definition, does wearing the Yarmulke 16:28  |  American in NY 05/06/08
  60.   This reaction should mean something to Arab peoples 16:31  |  Joe Frazier 05/06/08
  61.   It was a paisley scarf - not a kaffiyeh! 16:40  |  Jackie 05/06/08
  62.   Tova Dir Yassin Residents were warned to leave 16:43  |  Joe Frazier 05/06/08
  63.   #5 Chanalu, Rasha 16:47  |  * BEN JABO 05/06/08
  64.   American in NY 16:51  |  Malach HaMavet 05/06/08
  65.   to Joe Frazier 16:56  |  curious george 05/06/08
  66.   It`s ridiculous. 16:56  |  M. Franks-Lhermann 05/06/08
  67.   TRIPPLE JUMP KAFIYYEH BRINGS TO MIND LIAR MURDERER THIEF ARAFAT 16:57  |  PETER SM 05/06/08
  68.   Dunkin Donuts Coffee - No Big Deal 16:57  |  * BEN JABO 05/06/08
  69.   when advertiser uses israeli flag 17:01  |  ross 05/06/08