Emily Johnson
Hummus is a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It is a popular food in the Middle East and the Mediterranean and has become increasingly popular worldwide. While hummus is not a country and therefore does not have a flag, there is some debate about whether the group Hezbollah has used a mushroom cloud on their flag. Hezbollah is a Shi'ite Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon that emerged with support from Iran in 1982. In a 2009 speech, Hezbollah leader Nasrallah said, As long as Hezbollah exists, it will never recognize Israel. Authors Salman Rushdie and Christopher Hitchens have claimed that Hezbollah has used a mushroom cloud as a symbol on their flag, but others dispute this, saying it was a banner at a 2009 rally that has not been used since. A mushroom cloud is a distinctive mushroom-shaped cloud of debris, smoke, and usually condensed water vapour resulting from a large explosion. While they are best known for their appearance after nuclear detonations, mushroom clouds can also be caused by other large explosions or natural events like volcanic eruptions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Does hummus have a mushroom cloud on their flag? | No |
| Do Hamas have a mushroom cloud on their flag? | No |
| Did Hezbollah ever have a flag with a mushroom cloud on it? | There is no evidence that Hezbollah has officially adopted a flag relating to nuclear weapons. However, there are claims that at a rally in Beirut in 2009, there was a banner with a mushroom cloud and the words "Oh Zionists, if you want this type of war then so be it!" |
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What You'll Learn
Hezbollah flag symbol
It is unclear what is meant by "hummus" in the query "does hummus have a mushroom cloud on their flag". However, I can confirm that Hezbollah, a Shi'a political and military organization, does not have a mushroom cloud on their flag.
The Hezbollah flag features a stylized representation of the Arabic words "حزب الله" ("Ḥizbullāh", meaning "Party of God") in Kufic script. Near the first letter of "Allah", there is a hand reaching up to grasp a stylized assault rifle. The flag also incorporates a globe, a book, a sword, and a seven-leafed branch. The text above the logo reads "فإن حزب الله هم الغالبون" ("Fa-inna ḥizba llāhi humu l-gālibūna"), which translates to "Then surely the party of God are they that shall be triumphant" (Quran 5:56). Underneath the logo are the words "المقاومة الإسلامية في لبنان" ("Al-muqāwamah al-islāmīyah fī lubnān"), meaning "The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon". Yellow is the predominant colour on the flag.
Hezbollah has used a variety of symbols, but there is no evidence that they have officially adopted any that relate to nuclear weapons. However, during a May 2009 rally, a prominent Hezbollah poster featured a mushroom cloud with the message: "Oh Zionists, if you want this type of war, then so be it!" This poster has not appeared in any official Hezbollah documentation since and is not considered an official symbol or part of the flag.
The Hezbollah flag is often seen at protests and demonstrations and has been deemed offensive by several groups, particularly the Jewish community. The flag is also draped over the coffins of deceased members of the organisation, evoking a sense of martyrdom for the cause.
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Nuclear mushroom cloud meaning
A mushroom cloud is a distinctive mushroom-shaped flammagenitus cloud of debris, smoke, and usually condensed water vapour resulting from a large explosion. Although the term "mushroom cloud" was coined in the early 1950s, mushroom-shaped clouds generated by explosions were described centuries before the Atomic Age. For example, a 1782 contemporary aquatint depicted the Franco-Spanish attack on Gibraltar, showing one of the attacking force's floating batteries exploding with a mushroom cloud.
Mushroom clouds are most commonly associated with nuclear explosions. The atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 was described as a "huge mushroom of smoke and dust" by The Times of London. The New York Times published an eyewitness account of the Nagasaki bombing, written by William L. Laurence, who wrote of the bomb producing a "pillar of purple fire" out of the top of which came "a giant mushroom that increased the height of the pillar to a total of 45,000 feet". Laurence was the official newspaper correspondent of the Manhattan Project, and he accompanied one of the three aircraft that made the bombing run.
The formation of a mushroom cloud begins with a massive release of heat, which creates a vacuum as it ascends through the atmosphere. This vacuum is immediately filled with smoke and debris, forming the visible central column of what will become the mushroom cloud. As the fireball rises, it reaches an altitude where the air is cold and dense enough to slow its ascent, and the weight and density of the air flatten the fireball and its trailing smoke. The cloud continues to rise as it flattens, forming the rounded cap of the mushroom.
The height reached by the mushroom cloud depends on the heat energy of the weapon and the atmospheric conditions. If the cloud reaches the tropopause, about 6-8 miles above the Earth's surface, it will tend to spread out. However, if there is sufficient energy remaining, a portion of the cloud will ascend into the more stable air of the stratosphere. The cloud attains its maximum height after about 10 minutes and is then said to be "stabilized". It continues to grow laterally, producing the characteristic mushroom shape. The cloud may remain visible for about an hour or more before being dispersed by the wind.
The distribution of radiation in the mushroom cloud varies with the yield of the explosion, the type of weapon, the fusion-fission ratio, burst altitude, terrain type, and weather. Lower-yield explosions have about 90% of their radioactivity in the mushroom head and 10% in the stem, while megaton-range explosions tend to have most of their radioactivity in the lower third of the mushroom cloud. Fallout may appear as dry, ash-like flakes, or as particles too small to be visible, deposited by rain.
Regarding the claim that Hamas used a mushroom cloud on their flag, this appears to be based on a statement by Salman Rushdie, who said that Hezbollah and Hamas used mushroom clouds as their flag. However, there is no evidence that Hamas has officially adopted a flag with a mushroom cloud or any symbol related to nuclear weapons. Christopher Hitchens also claimed that Hezbollah used a mushroom cloud as their party symbol and flag, but this appears to refer to a banner at a rally in Beirut in 2009 with Arabic calligraphy bearing the message, "Oh Zionists, if you want this type of war, SO BE IT," surrounding the shape of a mushroom cloud. This banner does not appear to have been used officially by Hezbollah, and it has not made any notable reappearances since that event.
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Hamas and Hezbollah differences
There is no evidence that Hamas and Hezbollah have officially used a mushroom cloud on their flags. However, Hezbollah has used a variety of symbols, including a poster at a 2009 rally that featured a mushroom cloud and the message, "Oh Zionists, if you want this type of war, SO BE IT".
Now, here is some information on Hamas and Hezbollah differences:
Hamas and Hezbollah are both labelled as terrorist organisations by several governments, including the US and the EU. They are both backed by Iran and view weakening Israel as their primary goal. However, there are several differences between the two groups. Hamas, which translates as "zeal", is an Arabic acronym for the "Islamic resistance movement". It was founded in 1987 in Gaza as an offshoot of the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood. It operates primarily in the Gaza Strip, where it has controlled the region since 2007 after winning a bloody battle with rival party Fatah. Hamas has shown little tolerance for political opposition, with political opponents and critics frequently arrested and reports of torture. The group has received funding, weapons, and training from Iran, but it also has support from other countries such as Turkey and Qatar and operates with relative autonomy.
On the other hand, Hezbollah, which means "Party of God", identifies as a Shia resistance movement. It was founded in 1982 during the Lebanese Civil War after Israel invaded Lebanon. Hezbollah is backed almost exclusively by Iran and takes its directives from the Islamic Republic. The group has transformed itself into an influential political party and regional powerbroker under the leadership of Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah has not gone to war purely for the Palestinian cause, but it has exchanged fire with Israel across the Lebanese border. Hezbollah has been accused of paralysing and undermining the Lebanese state and contributing to the country's instability.
In terms of military power, Hezbollah is believed to have a more advanced arsenal and fighting force than Hamas. Hamas's military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, has developed a network of tunnels underneath Gaza that it uses for guerrilla warfare, making detection difficult for Israeli forces.
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Do mushroom clouds appear naturally?
Regarding the flag, it is claimed by Salman Rushdie and Christopher Hitchens that Hezbollah and Hamas used mushroom clouds as their flag symbol. However, there is no evidence that they have officially adopted any symbols relating to nuclear weapons. It seems that the claim stems from an observation of a banner at a 2009 Hezbollah rally in Beirut, which featured a mushroom cloud with an anti-Zionist message.
Mushroom clouds are most commonly associated with nuclear explosions. They are formed by large explosions under Earth's gravity, and the resulting fireball rises into the air, forming a "spherical cap bubble". As it rises, a Rayleigh-Taylor instability is created, with air being drawn upwards and into the cloud, forming strong air currents known as "afterwinds". The mushroom shape is caused by the explosion's initial spherical shape reaching equilibrium with the surrounding atmospheric pressure, resulting in a superheated mass of rarefied air surrounded by colder, denser air. This is further influenced by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, where the hot air from the explosion flows upwards, creating a doughnut-shaped swirl of air, forming the head of the mushroom.
However, mushroom clouds can indeed appear naturally. They can be caused by some volcanic eruptions and impact events, such as the 2020 Beirut explosion. Any sufficiently energetic detonation or deflagration will produce a mushroom cloud effect. Mushroom clouds are the result of the sudden formation of a large volume of lower-density gases, which rise rapidly due to their buoyancy, forming turbulent vortices that curl downward, creating a temporary vortex ring that draws up a central column of smoke, debris, condensed water vapour, or a combination of these elements, forming the "mushroom stem".
The appearance of the mushroom cloud varies depending on the type of explosion. Lower-yield explosions have about 90% of their radioactivity in the mushroom head, while megaton-range explosions tend to have most of their radioactivity in the lower third of the cloud. Fallout may appear as dry, ash-like flakes, or as tiny invisible particles deposited by rain.
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Hummus and Israeli culture
Hummus is a dip, spread, or savoury dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It is often garnished with olive oil, mint leaves, paprika, and parsley, and is usually eaten with pita bread. Hummus is a common part of everyday meals in Israel and is considered an unofficial "national dish". However, it is also popular in other parts of the Middle East, including Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Egypt, and is a part of most traditional Arab cuisines. The earliest mention of hummus was in a 13th-century cookbook attributed to the historian Ibn al-Adim from Aleppo in present-day Syria.
The association of hummus with Israeli culture is a controversial topic. While some people consider hummus to be an Israeli dish, others argue that it is an appropriation of Lebanese, Palestinian, or Arab culture. The debate over the ownership of hummus reflects nationalism through food and the role played by the industrialization of hummus by Israeli companies in 1958. The adoption of hummus by Jewish immigrants from Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries has been described as an attempt to blend in with the Middle Eastern environment, while others point to the health aspects of the dish as a factor in its popularity among this population.
The remaking of hummus as "Israeli" food has sparked a culinary discourse, with some arguing that it erases the Arab and Afro-Arab origins of the dish and denies Palestinian contributions to cuisine. The sanitization of hummus has been criticized for flattening the cultural and linguistic ties to the dish, such as the Arabic word for chickpeas, "حمص" (ḥummuṣ). Additionally, the rebranding of hummus as Israeli has been linked to a broader nation-building effort and the larger plan to exterminate Palestinian culture.
The dispute over the ownership of hummus has also led to a culinary competition between Lebanon and Israel, with both countries vying for the Guinness World Record for the largest dish of hummus. As of 2021, Lebanon holds the record.
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Frequently asked questions
Hummus is not a country, therefore it does not have a flag. However, there is some discussion around whether Hezbollah has used a mushroom cloud on their flag. While some sources claim that Hezbollah has used a mushroom cloud as a symbol on a banner, it is not their official flag.
A mushroom cloud is a distinctive mushroom-shaped cloud of debris, smoke, and usually condensed water vapour resulting from a large explosion. They are best known for their appearance after nuclear detonations.
There are sources that claim that Hezbollah has used a mushroom cloud as a symbol on a banner at a rally in Beirut in 2009. However, others state that it was never an official symbol and has not been used since.
Hezbollah is a political and military organisation based in Lebanon that does not recognise the state of Israel.
