This caricature, published in the Palestinian newspaper Falastin on June 18, 1936, is a striking example of how visual art was employed as a tool of political resistance and social awareness during the British Mandate period. Entitled “The Zionist Crocodile to Palestine Arabs”, it depicts a crocodile—symbolizing Zionism—approaching Palestinian Arabs with its jaws wide open. The caption ironically assures, “Don’t be afraid! I will swallow you peacefully…”, exposing the hypocrisy of colonial promises.

In the drawing, the crocodile embodies the threat of land appropriation and displacement, while behind it stand symbols of military and colonial power: tanks, airplanes, and warships, alongside a British officer smoking and watching indifferently. To the left, Palestinian figures stand defenseless, underscoring the imbalance of power and the looming danger they face.

This caricature is not only a reflection of the anxieties of 1930s Palestine—at the height of the Great Arab Revolt—but also an early example of how Palestinians used art, satire, and symbolism as a means of resistance. By ridiculing colonial narratives and exposing the violence hidden beneath them, the artist turned the newspaper page into a battlefield of truth, giving voice to the people’s fears and their defiance.