A new video game for home computers is being developed in Syria which allows users to assume the role of Palestinians carrying out terrorist attacks on Israeli soldiers, including at least one suicide bombing.
Entitled “Under Siege”, the game is slated for release by the end of the year by Damascus-based Afkar Media, according to a report in the Beirut Daily Star.
Users will be able to simulate various types of attacks on Israelis, ranging from a teenage Palestinian armed with a slingshot to a 25-year old toting a machine gun.
In addition, one scene is said to depict a Palestinian female suicide bomber in Jenin who hands her child over to relatives before detonating a hand grenade in a crowd of Israeli soldiers.
Nonetheless, the game’s developers insist that it is intended to promote non-violence.
“This is not a game about killing. We are telling a story,” said Radwan Kasmiya, Afkar Media’s executive manager, adding, “It’s not about desperation, it’s about sacrificing your life to let others live,” he said.
The company’s primary target audience is said to be young Arab computer users across the Middle East.
“Under Siege” is a sequel to a similar game, “Under Ash”, which was released by the company in 2001 and sold thousands of copies throughout the region.
According to Kasmiya, versions of the new game in English as well as in other languages will be released early next year.