AND FINALLY

Operation Cast Lead and the ongoing Israeli stranghold on Gaza has given the owner of Gaza’s only zoo a real headache after his (ok, somewhat dubious) operation was damaged in the military offensive. Some animals died and others escaped or were stolen.

Deprived of money and resources to rebuild, the ‘attraction’ has been ailing with the stock of animals left to lure the punters with in depressingly short supply – down to a mangy lioness, donkeys and some cats. Not exactly box office. So the enterprising head keeper took the only option he could come up with in the circumstances and hired a local artist to cunningly paint the donkeys black and white to look like Zebras. Hey presto, instant exotica. The tarted-up mules now apparently bring the kids flocking.

Presumably he’s only copied the tactics of the Israelis who have been painting an apartheid wall as a picket fence for years.