News Desk
OPPENHEIM, Germany — In a dazzling display of European compassion, four donkeys—Anna, Elsa, Greta, and Rudi—have successfully crossed the geopolitical minefield of Gaza to find themselves in the lush pastures of Oppenheim, Germany. Their journey, coordinated by Israeli animal welfare group Shoel Animal Rescue (SOS) with logistical support from the IDF, marks a triumph of equine evacuation over human empathy.
The donkeys, who endured hunger, abuse, and overwork, are now basking in veterinary care and the soothing embrace of German grass. Local papers have hailed their “trusting recovery,” a phrase that might have been borrowed from fairy tales if not for the fact that the comments section had to be disabled after readers pointed out the obvious: Germany has admitted roughly one Palestinian child for every donkey rescued.
While over 100 donkeys are slated for relocation to sanctuaries across Germany, France, and Belgium, the number of Palestinian children granted medical treatment in Germany remains strikingly lower. Critics have dubbed this policy “humanitarian arithmetic,” where one donkey equals one child, though the donkeys appear to be winning the quota race.
Outlets such as Middle East Monitor and Mondoweiss have called the saga a “dark joke,” noting that Germany’s empathy seems to gallop more freely when hooves are involved.
The Allgemeine Zeitung, in its glowing coverage of Anna and Elsa’s rehabilitation, described the donkeys as “trusting” and “hopeful.” Readers, however, were less enchanted. The paper swiftly disabled comments after backlash suggested that perhaps Palestinian children deserved equal billing in the trust-and-hope department.
