Naji Salim al-Ali and Handala.
Naji Salim al-Ali was a Palestinian cartoonist, noted for the political criticism of the Arab regimes and Israel in his works. He drew over 40,000 cartoon. He is perhaps best known as creator of the character Handala, pictured in his cartoons as a young witness of the satirized policy or event depicted and who has since become an icon of Palestinian defiance.
Handala, also known as Handhala (Arabic: حنظلة) is the most famous of Naji al-Ali's characters. He is depicted as a ten-year old boy, and appeared for the first time in Al-Siyasa in Kuwait in 1969. The figure turned his back to the viewer from the year 1973, and clasped his hands behind his back. The artist explained that the ten-year old represented his age when forced to leave Palestine and would not grow up until he could return to his homeland; his turned back and clasped hands symbolised the character's rejection of "outside solutions". Handala wears ragged clothes and is barefoot, symbolising his allegiance to the poor. In later cartoons, he is actively participating in the action depicted not merely observing it.
Handala became the signature of Naji al-Ali's cartoons and remains an iconic symbol of Palestinian identity and defiance. Handala has also been used as the web mascot of the Iranian green movement. The artist remarked that "this being that I have invented will certainly not cease to exist after me, and perhaps it is no exaggeration to say that I will live on with him after my death."
After seeing this image of a little boy, hands behind his bag and ragged clothing, I wanted to know what it was. I later found out it was Handala. I saw it attached to the words Palestine, Palestinian, Filisteen, Keffiyeh, etc. and I wanted to know more. This is what I gathered from Wikipedia. Although not always the best source for information (considering it could be edited by anyone), it got down to the point :]