June 14, 2002

Graffiti

[Bethlehem, Palestine] During my United Methodist worker training in Atlanta, Georgia, I happened across an amazing concrete wall. This colorful wall changed appearance almost every day. It was the canvas of painters and the paper of poets. It even captured the meandering contemplations of street philosophers. Daily graffiti tags to this wall railed against rival artists, sometimes punching your moral sensibilities. It was a testament to the frustrations of life in urban Atlanta.

We have our own graffiti testament to the frustrations of life here in the West Bank. After the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) left the area, many buildings were marked with fresh artwork. Hebrew words littered the walls. There were arrows and stars. Even road directions for tanks and APCs, trucks and jeeps were written on the sides of buildings.

JZ's place was marked with this sign.
It means that his house was checked and it was clean.
(Like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval!)

This Star of David is on a building near Mitri Raheb's International Center of Bethlehem.
The Arabic says "The Palestinian People Party is announcing and moaning the Hero Martyr Ihab Habib"
then it is signed "The Hands of the People Party"
Actually, now that I know what the Arabic says, it is possible that the red star was also marked by a Palestinian.
(Thanks to R. Salsa and R. Rishmawi for the Arabic translation.)

And of course there is the Palestinian-contributed artwork on community surfaces. These usually honor those killed in the intifada.

This adorned the Bethlehem Peace Center wall. A Palestinian martyr.

This painting is at the entrance of the Dheisheh Refugee Camp.