It has been 34 years since the death of the cartoonist Naci al-Ali, whose drawings reflect the drama of Palestine under Israeli occupation. Ali, one of the important cartoonists of the Arab world, discussed the reflections of the relations between the USA, Israel and Arab regimes on Palestine in his works.
The character of "Hanzala", bearing the signature of Ali, who drew attention in a short time with his cartoons emphasizing the Palestinian cause and garnering great acclaim with his drawings, became one of the symbols of Palestine's freedom struggle. Naci al-Ali's son, Khalid al-Ali, told Anadolu Agency about his father, his view of the world and his drawings.
Khalid al-Ali stated that his father was born in the village of Ash Shajara in Palestine in 1936 and lived in his village until he was forced to leave with his family in 1948.
"He was 11-12 years old. He was forcibly expelled from Palestine along with thousands of Palestinians. He stayed with his family in the Einal Hilweh camp in southern Lebanon. My father and his family were driven from their homes, their lives, their fields. Suddenly they found themselves in a tent. No jobs, no jobs, basically nothing to rely on. A very bad, traumatic experience. This experience has not let him down, as have thousands of Palestinians," Khalid said.