How does the culture and background of Palestinians influence the ways in

which meaning is constructed through street art in Bethlehem and

Jerusalem?

English Category 3 Essay

Word count: 3911 words
September 2022

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 Table of Contents

Title page…………………………………………………………Page 1

Introduction………………………………………………………Page 3

Muslim quarter, old city, east Jerusalem……………………...Page 4

Banksy's boutique hotel and art exhibition……………………Page 8

Aida Refugee Camp…………………………………………….Page 12

Conclusion………………………………………………………..Page 15

Works Cited………………………………………………………Page 17

Apendix……………………………………………………………Page 15

Image Citations…………………………………………………..Page 20

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1. Introduction

Throughout the history of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, there have been a number

of ways in which the Palestinians have faced political suppression and it has had an

effect on their everyday life, specifically with the intention of limiting or preventing the

people from participating in the political life of a society. So, with most of the world not

taking action and very little protesting against this oppression that they are

experiencing, the Palestinians chose to use a form of art to show the story of what is

happening, not with words but with visuals, and street art. Street art is often used to

embody the artist's beliefs, whether they are political, social, or environmental. This is

why this form of art can create a conversation between people as everybody has

access to it, even without them wanting access. And that is also why street art has

always been a strong platform to convey messages to the masses. Since this uprising

of street art that many Palestinians are now involved in, there was an art style that

emerged, “Palestinian art”. An interview with one of the artists in the region of

Bethlehem described the art as having the purpose of “painting political issues of the

public in a clear and direct manner, with the overall goal to raise awareness of the public

and create a revolutionary fight against the occupation that we are facing today”. He

also adds that “Street art is many times straightforward, using visuals and text in order

to express what is often a political message, using the means available under

occupation (Solis). “Street art has probably always been the most important art form for

the desire of social change, This is oftentimes because Street art gives you direct and

immediate access to the public” (Krohn). Given this, many artists and oftentimes the

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general public uses their art and puts them on the West Bank wall. This wall to the

Palestinian people is the physical representation of social and political suppression as it

limits them by “restricting Palestinian movement and access around the west bank and

cuts off land and access to resources needed for Palestinian development” (Ban). That

is the reason there is much street art placed on the wall by not just Palestinians but

people traveling from around the world as it has gained the attention of worldwide

politicians. This wall that was built in 2002 started this movement of mass street art and

has created this new form of art and a new way for the Palestinian people to fight the

occupation. Since the west bank wall led to this cultural push in Palestinian society in

the west bank, slowly other areas of Palestinian inhabitants had this change. The areas

of focus in this essay are going to be the city of Bethlehem and the city of Jerusalem.

2. Muslim quarter, old city, east Jerusalem

In the Muslim quarter, the old city in east Jerusalem street art is used in a very different

way than in most cities with Palestinian inhabitants. Because there is so much street art

in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, it stands out from the other quarters in particular.

The majority of street art is produced by anonymous artists using stencils which are a

popular choice of media because stencils require few resources for production (Solis).

Stencils also ensure that the work has a deliberate quality and allows for quick

dissemination which is very important as there is legislation that restricts prints that can

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be characterized as propaganda, such as Arab, Palestinian, Muslim art, and street art

(Solis). In 1967, Israel imposed an “Order Regarding the Prohibition of Incitement and

Hostile Propaganda Actions” in the West Bank (Omar). Additionally, Amendment Order

1079 forbids flags and political symbols from being waved and displayed without a

permit from military higher-ups (Omar). Also, the usage of the colors of the Palestinian

flag, green, red, black, and white, together is also restricted by the Israeli government

(Omar). All these restrictions are placed in order for the Palestinian people to not get

their message through to the world. This really has an effect on the Palestinian culture

as they are now being limited to expressing their current situation to others around the

globe. In an interview with Sarah Osman, she expresses Palestinian street art in east

Jerusalem as having to be “very fast” with their works due to the restrictions that are

imposed. She states that “In order to effectively convey their ideas, artists must be

creative”. They tend to confine themselves to their personal areas because it appears

that this is the only setting in which they may feel safe and comfortable. This is because

of the overall feeling of fear and unease people have in public places as a result of the

occupation and violence that have erupted in east Jerusalem.

The “Dome of the Rock” is the most frequent image in the Muslim quarter, the old city

followed by the Kaaba, this is because the dome of the rock is

the national symbol of Palestine. More than just a religious

icon, the Dome of the Rock serves to "make the Palestinian

presence clear in a context hostile to its identity”(Solis).

Muslims have long used the Dome of the Rock to depict

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Jerusalem, but when Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967, this practice became

more widespread for the Palestinians (Solis).

Most of the domes of the rock representation are made from

stencils, and as stated before, the use of stencils is a famous

practice in the Muslim quarter, the old city as it is very fast to work with to get the

message across. The images on the left show a very common representation of the

dome of the rock using stencils around the Muslim quarter. The sides of this stencil are

embellished with clouds and hearts. Dots, flowers, palms, birds, and crescent moons

are frequently used as decorations on images of the Dome of the Rock. In addition to

using a single color, such as black, for a stencil, the use of blue, green, yellow, grey and

gold adheres to a more authentic color scheme of the Dome of the Rock, which is

common in the Muslim quarter, Old City (Solis). Also, another frequent theme is the

incorporation of the Arabic language. Arabic words for both Allah and Muhammad are

commonly used in the depiction of the dome of the rock as seen in the image above.

The Muslim Quarter's street art is sometimes characterized as amateur work because of

the inexperienced artist who paints. Due to aging and the nature of the wall material and

stencils, most of the street art is deteriorative. These stencils are made by unidentified

artists, many of whom are untrained artists and frequently relatives of the individuals

whose property is being decorated.

The Kaaba is also seen to be a significant icon for the Palestinian people. “Palestinians

do not worship the Kaaba, however, it is Islam’s most sacred site because it represents

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the metaphorical house of God and the oneness of God in Islam” (Associated). This then

is also why the Kaaba is used in many of the works around Palestinian territories as it is

part of their culture and part of what unites them as a community and as a people.

Image 3 on the left is a typical work in the Muslim quarter, the old city showing the

Kaaba. Artists will often use stencils as stated before because of the time it takes to

make the art as well as the restrictions that are imposed. This work includes another

prevalent element, the usage of Arabic lettering. Arabic names for Allah (on the left

side) and Muhammad (on the right side). These two names are also found to be very

common in works like this as Allah is the “god of the Islamic religion and Muhammad

was the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qurʾān, Islam's sacred scripture”

(William). The meaning that these two words have is of great importance in the Islamic

religion and the Islamic culture, so for the Palestinian people to be including these

names in their art, as well as add the Kaaba, shows the cultural significance of the work.

Another aspect to look at is color usage. As seen before, color is restricted in the

Muslim quarter, the old city of east Jerusalem. The Use of the Palestinian flag's primary

colors, red, green, white, and black is likewise restricted. Due to these limitations, the

Old City's Muslim Quarter's street art must be often times straightforward and minimal.

As seen in the work above there is only the color black and blue for the lettering and

that is the color scheme that is mostly found in the Muslim quarter due to regulations.

However, that is in most cases still enough for the Palestinian people to let their

message out to the public and especially with the addition of the religious figures, it

really enables the culture of the Palestinians to stay intact.

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3. Banksy's boutique hotel and art exhibition

Banksy is known for his anti-authoritarian art which is an art that opposes or is hostile

toward authority (Merriam). Hence the conflict that erupted in Israel caught his attention

as in 2005, Banksy made an entrance and showed his

political views on the matter known through his form of

art- street art. He displayed most of his works on the west

bank wall. When Banksy, a well-known but anonymous

British street artist, painted pieces on the Wall in 2003,

Bethlehem's street art received widespread attention

globally. One of The most notable of the works was “love is in the air”. Banksy made

sure to show his view on the wall by saying “essentially the wall turns Palestine into the

world’s largest open prison” (Laboureau). This work is famous because of its meaning, to

wage peace. It implies that the only methods of civil activism capable of defeating

corruption and extremism are love and peace. He did this by incorporating the

international language (flowers) to represent peace. The Flower Thrower by Banksy is

adamantly in favor of nonviolent conflict resolution (Friedman). The young man's figure is

leaning backward with one arm extended, seemingly getting ready to throw something

at someone or something. A bandana and ball hat partially cover his face. The print's

vibrant red elevates the scene's mood to an almost violent level. Banksy's subject,

however, is depicted holding a bouquet of flowers rather than being caught in the act of

violence, showing again that defeating corruption is peace (Friedman). As Banksy shows

his involvement and support to the Palestinian people, world attention faces Palestine,

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the attention that they have not received for many years due to the fact that the world

turned its back and acted like this conflict was of non-importance, giving more attention

to other conflicts in the world. It is for this reason that street art gained massive

popularity on the west bank wall and in many Palestinian territories. It is Banksy that

has pushed the movement forward enough for the Palestinians to embody the

movement and spread it in the streets of Israel.

While Banksy has really created a change in the artistic movement in Bethlehem, his

involvement does not end there. He made an appearance in the following years for

another project. In order to raise awareness of the West Bank's poverty and attract

tourists there, Banksy returned to Bethlehem in December 2007 for an annual gathering

of international street artists, which was titled Santa's Ghetto. From “2002 to 2007,

Santa's Ghetto was a squat art concept store" (Laboureau) that was set up around

London over the Christmas season in various locales, with the exception of 2007​, when

he moved the display to Bethlehem, Israel (Laboureau).

Santa's Ghetto had raised a big portion of money from

local charities to art sales. This has led to an uptake in

the popularity of the Wall to the world's notice by making

works of art for auction and inviting collectors to

Bethlehem to bid on unique works in person. Additionally,

Banksy and the artists used the Wall to produce fresh artwork, some of which may still

be seen there today. One of the most prominent pieces is “Armored Dove”. One of the

nine images painted on the West Bank Wall to denounce the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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is Banksy's “Armored Dove” (“Art, Identity, and Culture » Banksy – Armored Dove Essay”). In

allusion to the biblical tale of Noah and the Ark, the image depicts a white dove with its

wings spread wide and its arms open in a position that represents peace, holding an

olive branch in its beak. Noah sends a dove out to search for land after spending 40

days and nights confined in the ark. The dove returns that night carrying an olive branch

that indicates there is land nearby. Since then, the dove and the olive branch have

stood for peace amid anarchy and disarray. The dove in this piece of art also has its

wings spread in an extended arm position similar to how Jesus died on the cross to

atone for sins committed by people, demonstrating the dove's receptivity to the idea of

peace (“Art, Identity, and Culture » Banksy – Armored Dove Essay”). In contrast to the

conventional peace symbol, Banksy's dove is armored and has a target-directed at its

chest, this makes it seem as though it is about to be eliminated. The fact that the dove

must be protected with a flak jacket in spite of its noble intentions and status as a peace

symbol shows that war on the West Bank is unavoidable. No matter how much peace

there is, there will always be people who want to start a dispute amongst others (“Art,

Identity, and Culture » Banksy – Armored Dove Essay”) .

As if all of what Banksy has done wasn't already enough, Banksy opened a hotel in

2017 next to the west bank wall. The Walled Off Hotel, a parody of the Waldorf Hotel, a

well-known luxury hotel chain, was established by Banksy close to the west bank Wall

with the tagline "the worst view in the world" (Krohn). The Walled Off Hotel was

constructed, in Banksy's words, "since 2017 marks a hundred years since the British

took control of Palestine and helped launch a century of chaos and conflict" (Krohn). The

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Walled-Off Hotel has increased tourism and media interest in the Wall. Visitors and hotel

guests are invited to paint the Wall with art supplies from the Wall Mart, a parody of the

American grocery store chain Walmart, which is located right next to the hotel. Visitors

can take part in "bespoke stencil tutorials" to make their own stencils on the Wall for the

cost of fifty shekels (Solis). Banksy offers a specific cause for Palestinian street art. The

majority of the anonymous street art on the Wall was produced by visitors to Palestine,

many of whom lacked formal artistic experience. Although the Wall contains substantial

works and detailed imagery, the majority of the artwork consists of graffiti tagging and

messages from visitors supporting the Palestine cause. There are numerous languages

and locations of visitors writing on the Wall, which is currently covered in so much

artwork that it is challenging to understand the individual works. Some Palestinians

state that Banksy's involvement is an overall big help and push in the fight against

Israeli occupation (Banksy: You Are). however, others say that his works are making the

wall too beautiful. One man stated that: “We don’t want it to be beautiful, we hate this

wall, go home” (Banksy 142).

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4. Aida Refugee Camp

The Aida refugee camp is one of the 19 Palestinian refugee camps in the west bank

containing over 6,000 people in a 0.71 square kilometers area (UNRWA). The refugee

camp initially served as a place of refuge with the idea that if the crisis was over, the

refugees may return to their communities (AYC). It has severe problems with

overcrowding. The camp is properly connected to the municipal water and electricity

systems, however, the sewage and water networks are substandardly allowing for

overall poor conditions for the refugees (AYC). The camp frequently saw curfews and

shooting during the first Intifada (uprising against Israeli occupation), which lasted from

1987 until 1993. The second Intifada began in 2000, only seven years after the first one

had come to an end due to growing Palestinian discontent with peace talks and other

developments. The reality of military attacks completely interfered with every area of

everyday life for the people of Aida camp during this time, causing them to endure

extreme hardships. Along with strict curfew regulations put in place for the camp and its

surroundings, the camp was frequently the target of strikes and incursions from the air

and ground. Residents were prohibited from moving about the camp in any area where

military bases might see them since doing so would put them in danger of being shot at

(AYC). It goes without saying that the effects of such events on the camp were

catastrophic. The attacks left many people dead, injured, and traumatized. The whole

camp's infrastructure, including the UNRWA schools there and many of the roadways

where tanks had destroyed the ground and neighboring property in the camp's

congested streets, was seriously damaged (AYC). with such hardships that the

Palestinian refugees face, they often show their experiences through street art for the

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public to see. Some people show representations and words of Allah (the Muslim god)

to try and show that through all that their going through god is still with them and will

continue to be. And others show signs of occupation and violence through their works.

Just like the Muslim quarter, old city, and east Jerusalem, the Aida refugee camp also

resides with works related to the Kaaba and the dome of the rock. Because many camp

residents are prohibited from crossing the west bank wall to visit and pray at the Temple

Mount, the Dome of the Rock holds a special place in the refugee camp (Solis). The

dominance of Islam in the region is expressed by the prominence of the Dome of the

Rock and the Kaaba representations. Even though

Bethlehem and the Aida Refugee Camp lack reliable

statistics on religious affiliation, a Muslim majority is

acknowledged in the Aida refugee camp (Solis). Six of the

eight depictions in the refugee camp feature palm trees

or other trees next to the Dome of the Rock street art. In

comparison to the Dome of the Rock representations in the Old City, the

representations of the Dome of the Rock are also bigger and more elaborate in the Aida

refugee camp. All three Kaaba representations feature palm trees or other kinds of trees

(Solis). For example, as you can see in image 6 you can see that there are palms

combined with the dome of the rock. Just like in the Muslim quarter, the color of the

actual dome of the rock is very similar with the inclusion of blue and yellow/ gold. The

artwork of the Dome of the Rock combines the Palestinian flag and the palm tree's

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symbolism to show how nationalism and religion are intertwined with one another in

some way. All this combined together in one work (like Figure 6) really lets the viewer

understand in that very moment the message of freedom that this work represents.

Within Aida Refugee Camp, there is a wide variety of street art. The central motif

represents the desire to reinstate Palestinian rule. In contrast to Jerusalem, where there

is more monitoring of images that could be

considered propaganda, limitations are less

strictly enforced, making it easier to depict the

Palestinian flag and utilize its colors (Solis).

There are works that show peace like the “Armored Dove (Figure 5)” from before, and

there are works that show symbols of violence such as Figure 6. This work is very

famous and one of the most looked-at works of art on the west bank wall. As you can

see there are ignited fires that are just all over the piece, along with what looks like two

Israeli soldiers detaining what looks to be a Palestinian. The fire alone shows this

violent presence however we can also see that there is someone in black who is

swinging some sort of slingshot almost preparing to sling it at someone, maybe an

Israeli soldier. We also have this figure in the back also throwing rocks but this time it

looks like he is throwing them at the two soldiers that have captured the Palestinian.

This with no question is an act of violence and not much else is seen in the work, no

signs of peace or liberty, only violence toward the nation of Israel. Now this work could

represent the ideals of the artist or what he has experienced and many artists created

works that reflect their social, political, and economical state. It all depends on their

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experiences. Many people dealt with the events of the conflict between Israel and

Palestine differently whether you are an outsider or someone from one of the two sides,

and their past is often times different from one another, for instance, if a Palestinian had

a member of his family killed by some Israeli force then that would influence this

person's perspective, therefore, his work would most likely reflect the representation of

revenge or violence in his work, compare them to someone who hasn't been affected as

much, that could totally change the outcome of the work, leading this person to make

works more related with peace. An example of this is Banksy, he's not from Israel or

from Palestine so he wasn't affected as much as others, leading him to make works of

peace such as (the Armored Dove” Figure 5). So, the background of each person's

situation reflects their ways of creating street art.

5. Conclusion

In answering the research question: “how does the culture and background of

Palestinians influence the ways in which meaning is constructed through street

art in Bethlehem and Jerusalem?” This overall essay draws the conclusion that

indeed the culture and background of the Palestinians do in fact have an effect on the

way in which the meaning is formed through their art. Clearly, as we have seen, when

Banksy made an appearance in Bethlehem he made multiple works representing this

idea of peace (one of them being the “Armored Dove”), could this be because he has

not experienced any form of oppression like the Palestinians themselves?. We have

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also seen that a Palestinian made a remark about Banksy's work being too beautiful.

This just shows that Banksy's views do not reflect those of the Palestinian people as

they do not share the same experiences. In contrast to this Palestinian artists

themselves who have experienced difficulties such as the people in the Aida camp,

made works of violence and destruction, such as works of people throwing rocks at

officers and with flames bursting everywhere. This is because they themselves have

been in the crossfire of Israeli soldiers and they may have experienced one of their

loved ones being killed. With the consideration of different locations and analysis of

motives behind several artworks, it is safe to assume that one's background experience

has a great effect on their ideals which influences their work of art and the process of

producing it.

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 Works cited:

Abitboul, Eliav. “Street Art in Jerusalem .” Interview, 20 Aug. 2022.

Amin, ByBahira, et al. “Apartheid Art: The Stories behind 14 Striking Pieces of Graffiti on the

West Bank Wall.” SceneArabia,

scenearabia.com/Culture/apartheid-art-palestine-israel-graffiti-separation-wall-west-ban.

“Art, Identity, and Culture » Banksy – Armored Dove Essay.” Art, Identity, and Culture,

https://reinterpellations.web.unc.edu/about/banksy-armored-dove/banksy-armored-dove-

essay/. Accessed 29 November 2022.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, “Q&A: The Hajj Pilgrimage and Its Significance in Islam.”

Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2018,

https://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-saudi-arabia-hajj-20180818-story.html#:~

:text=Muslims%20do%20not%20worship%20the,during%20their%20five%20daily%20pr

ayers.

AYC, Aida Youth Center, “About Aida Refugee Camp.”

http://www.aidacenter.org/aida-camp-from-a-historical-perspective/#:~:text=Initially%2C

%20the%20camp%20started%20as,refugees%20living%20in%2094%20tents.

Ban, “Ban Says Israel's Construction of West Bank Wall Violates International Law,

Fuels Mid-East Tensions | | UN News.” United Nations, United Nations,

https://news.un.org/en/story/2014/07/472712-ban-says-israels-construction-west-bank-w

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 all-violates-international-law-fuels#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20wall%20severely%20re

stricts%20Palestinian,the%20West%20Bank%2C%E2%80%9D%20Mr.

Banksy. Banksy. London, England: Century, 2006. Print.

Banksy: You Are an Acceptable Level of Threat and If You Were Not You You Would Know

about It. Darlington: Carpet Bombing Culture, 2014. Print.

Friedman, Jacob. “Love Is in the Air.” Hexagon Gallery, 15 Mar. 2017,

https://hexagongallery.com/catalog/artist/banksy/love-is-in-the-air/.

Knox Gardner, “Graffiti in Old Jerusalem.”

http://knoxgardner.com/2010/graffiti-in-old-jerusalem/.

Krohn, Zia, and Joyce Lagerweij. Concrete Messages: Street Art on the Israeli-Palestinian

Separation Barrier. Sweden: Dokument Press, 2010.

Laboureau, Sebastien. “Banksy Summary Timeline.” Banksy Explained, 30 Jan. 2022,

https://banksyexplained.com/banksy-summary-timeline/.

Laboureau, Sebastien. “Santa's Ghetto, 2002-2007.” Banksy Explained, 24 Sept. 2021,

https://banksyexplained.com/santas-ghetto-2019/#:~:text=Santa's%20Ghetto%20

was%20a%20%E2%80%9Csquat,represented%20by%20Pictures%20on%20Wa

lls.

Merriam-Webster, “Antiauthoritarian Definition & Meaning.”, Merriam-Webster,

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 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiauthoritarian.

Omar Shakir, “Born without Civil Rights.” Human Rights Watch, 18 Dec. 2019

https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/12/17/born-without-civil-rights/israels-use-draconian-mili

tary-orders-repress.

RSS, Art Identity and Culture, “Art, Identity, and Culture.”

https://reinterpellations.web.unc.edu/about/banksy-armored-dove/banksy-armored-dove-

essay/.

Solis, Natalie Amador. “Street Art in Israel and Palestine: The Significance of Art on the Streets

of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Bethlehem.” Academia.edu, 7 July 2017,

www.academia.edu/33806320/Street_Art_in_Israel_and_Palestine_The_Significance_of

_Art_on_the_Streets_of_Jerusalem_Tel_Aviv_and_Bethlehem.

UNRWA, “Aida Camp.”, https://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/west-bank/aida-camp.

William Montgomery Watt“Muhammad.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica,

Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Muhammad.

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​

Image citations:

Figure 1, Photograph of Dome of the Rock - (Solis)

Figure 2, Photograph of Dome of the Rock - (Knox)

Figure 3, Photograph of Kaaba - (Solis)

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Figure 4, Photograph of “Love Is In The Air” - (Friedman)

Figure 5, Photograph of “Armored Dove” - (“Art, Identity, and Culture » Banksy – Armored Dove
Essay”)

Figure 6, Photograph Dome of the Rock with a Palestinian flag banner and a palm tree- (Solis)

Figure 7, Photograph of A mural of a blindfolded Palestinian being arrested by soldiers- (Amin)

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