V hand sign in the Middle East

What does it mean? Is it a “Victory” sign, a peace sign as in the USA, or a f-ck you sign, as in Europe?

In Europe, the V-sign is only an insult if the back of the hand is towards the observer. If the hand is turned the other way, then it’s a victory sign or a peace sign, depending on the context.

As far as I can tell, the V with the back of the hand towards the observer is only an insult in Britain. Maybe in Ireland as well.

And even in Britain and Ireland many people don’t differentiate between the V-front and V-back gestures. There are plenty of photos of British celebrities (notably including Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher) giving the V-back gesture in contexts where they clearly mean to express victory rather than contempt.

Churchill intended the “V for Victory” to be an insult to the Germans, did he not?

But what do the Palestinians intend it to be? “Peace, let’s stop fighting” or “Screw you”?

I doubt it. The back-handed V is pretty offensive as far as gestures go—think of the raised middle finger, only worse. Even today someone like Bush or Obama wouldn’t be caught dead triumphantly flipping the bird to celebrate a military victory, so I think it would be even less likely for a dignified British politician to do it in the much more socially conservative 1940s.

That’s because Churchill was in a gang.

You fight ignorance, Sir! :slight_smile:

The Washington Post says that it denotes popular resistance.

The Washington Post should be popularly resisted. . .

:slight_smile:

Maybe back then.

These days it is a clear distinction and you’d be mocked for getting it wrong.