I guess this is a Netherlandish Proverbs means: "To turn a blind eye" is when you see something ( probably bad) and you pretend you don't see it or it is when you look at something stealthy. Also, as you are learning Farsi I will put the Farsi meaning here for you as well ;) : نگاه دزدانه کردن ،خودرابه نديدن زدن Please take a look at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlandish_Proverbs

I'd have to see the context, so I'm guessing here. When people can't look at something, usually something awful, they put their hands over their face. Finally curiosity overcomes their revulsion and they open their fingers a little and get a short peek at what they didn't want to look at. They look through their fingers at it. Can you give an example, so that I'm sure of this?

Native Czech speaker here, I guess we share this idiom in Slavic languages. Given the context the explanation below makes sense, what I am not sure about is whether the original author used it in a right way to begin with. To look through one's fingers in Czech language means to look with mistrust, in a judging and sceptical way, keeping your distance. You would do so i.e. if your son dated a stripper, if corrupt politician started doing good things all of a sudden, or if someone proposed a thing that goes against your personal beliefs or experience. It's normally used in a phrase "to look AT SOMETHING/SOMEONE through one's fingers". That's how it works in Czech, the other explanations don't really fit on normal usage in our language. I'm not a proficient Russian speaker though, so can't confirm it's the same there. Our langauges have a lot in common but there might be an odd difference here and there.

The whole sentence is; Most of all, however, the book is a poignant appeal to the policymakers and analysts who have, as the Russian expression goes,"looked through their fingers" as Russia passed from one lost opportunity to another. Given the context, the meaning is probably accurate, I think. Thanks again for your warm help. and Hiva, I am very glad to see you again. mitabonestam dal iinja be diidale shoma , man besiyal hoshhaalam. I am to memorize these farsi expressions. In fact recently I am trying hard to memorize many Farsi words. And I also curious about the web page of Netherlandish proverbs ,especially the pictures with short sentences. ... Thanks a lot. motashakelam