Muppets preach peace in Mideast

May 14, 2007

A new Israeli-Arab puppet on the Middle Eastern version of "Sesame Street" is being touted as a new symbol of hope to children. "Rechov Sumsum" in Israel and "Shara'a Simsim" in the Palestinian territories are making their debut with new characters like Mahboub, an Israeli-Arab who speaks both Hebrew and Arabic and Jewish immigrants from Russian and Ethiopia, communities that have faced prejudices in Israeli society. In addition to the shows, the program's president plans to distribute puppet-themed educational tools throughout Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.