Perfumer in Gaza produces missile-themed perfume bottles to support Palestinian resistance

A Palestinian young man from Gaza has produced hundreds of missile-themed perfume bottles to express support for the armed resistance in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. 

Bilal Saraya, a 23-year-old owner of a perfume shop in the besieged coastal enclave, remarked to The New Arab that he was inspired to produce the perfume bottles themed with missiles around four years ago when the Palestinian resistance launched dozens of long-distance rockets at the Israeli cities. 

"At that time,  we were really proud of the resistance achievements that let Israelis be aware that they will never kill us without punishment," the young man said. 

Recently, his bottles have grown in popularity with younger customers, particularly those who were rebellious and love resistance, said the perfumer. 

Among the names highlighted on these bottles are Al-Bahaa, al-Ayyash, M-75 and R-160, all different types of locally produced missiles. 

Saraya's initiative has launched a debate among Palestinians in Gaza, each opposing or supporting the idea. 

Nidal al-Halabi supported Saraya's idea, saying, "He has the right  to express his support in any way he prefers." 

"The Israelis brazenly support their criminal governments in all the crimes they commit against us. Therefore, I will not oppose such ideas, even if I do not belong to any armed faction," Halabi stressed. 

"The resistance has gained many achievements and is now the fortified shield that protects us from any Israeli attempts to eliminate us, so it is important that we show them our support and respect," he added. 

Abdullah al-Ali, based in Rafah, expressed objection to the idea, arguing that it reflects a bad image of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in the world.

"Israel will exploit such an idea (even if it is for a noble purpose) to promote to the world that we support violence, killing, and bloodshed," he remarked. 

The Palestinians in the coastal enclave have been living under the Israeli blockade since 2007 after the Islamic Hamas movement seized the territory.

Since then, Israel launched five large-scale military wars at the coastal enclave, killing thousands of locals, mostly civilians, and destroying tens of thousands of buildings in Gaza.