The recurring phenomenon of ardent pro-Palestinians in Western nations displaying profound ignorance about Middle Eastern geography and regional complexities raises questions about whether such incidents are more amusing or exasperating. The bizarre case of pro-Palestinian activist Hasina Kathrada perfectly illustrates this troubling pattern.
The South African resident maintains an extensively active Facebook page filled with pro-Palestinian messaging, demonstration photographs, and various other causes, including climate change protests and global wildfire activism. According to Kathrada's account, she joined a delegation of hundreds of protesters traveling from Cairo toward the Gaza border, only to face detention by Egyptian authorities who reject such demonstration activities along their border territories. Her subsequent Facebook post included a map that demonstrated her complete lack of geographic knowledge about the region.
Her published map incorrectly positions Rafah in the actual location of Israel's southern city of Eilat. The city of al-Arish appears as simply "Arish" and sits hundreds of kilometers away from its true position, displaced deep into desert terrain. Similarly misplaced, the Suez Canal appears in locations where no waterway exists. Most remarkably, the map labels the entire area as "Sinai" rather than identifying Israel or even Palestine, despite Kathrada's proclaimed Palestinian advocacy.
"Yesterday, after leaving Cairo, I was part of about 300 international delegates — including South Africans — who were stopped at Kamphashir toll station, one of three checkpoints along the route. Our passports were confiscated for several hours before we were eventually bussed back to Cairo. Delegates at the other two checkpoints faced the same treatment," Kathrada detailed in her Facebook complaint.
Addressing her map directly, Kathrada explained, "The map below shows the path we attempted across Egypt, from Cairo through the Sinai Peninsula toward Rafah. The march was stopped, but the movement continues. The world cannot look away." The entire episode suggests it might have proven educational to allow the activist to navigate using her own cartographic creation and attempt reaching Rafah independently.
