FINLAND & PALESTINE Proceedings of a Joint Workshop

Palestine in Fmnish MedIa
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And finally Sex in the City - Gaza City.
One of the most popular items that used to be smuggled into
Gaza via the tunnels was Viagra. Egyptian or Indian Viagra is
very cheap; about a year ago they were around 4 shekels each.
Most pharmacies sell them, and according to the data I collected,
most men in Gaza use Viagra. Not that they all necessarily
need it, but some take it out of habit, some out of boredom,
and some want to 'play it safe' performance wise. However,
the new thing is for it to be given to bridegrooms on their
wedding night or as a gift to conclude a business deal.
What was interesting about this story was the ease at which
men agreed to talk to me. After all, I was asking them very
personal and private questions. Two men I spoke with in a
lingerie shop said that because they are educated people they
don't mind talking about it, but if a friend or an acquaintance
walked into the store they would shut up. Maybe I've been
away from Finland for too long, but I can't imagine asking Finnish
men about sexual performance!
I also needed to get a female perspective regarding this highly
fascinating story. Some of the pharmacists had already told me
that sometimes it is actually the women who buy it, mix it with
food, and serve it to their hapless men. My fixer (this is the
word journalists use for a local assistant who will get you the
interviews, etc.) looked hard for a woman I could talk to, and
finally he found one.
Our meeting must have looked either weird or funny to an
outsider. We parked outside a ministry where this 40­
something woman was working. It was raining so my fixer ran
away as he let the woman into the car. We both just laughed
and then started talking about Viagra. She confirmed that
women sometimes put it in tea and that unlike what men think
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