Another Brick in the Wall

Palestinian Flag

While in Israel, I wanted to spend some time in the West Bank – one of two of the Palestinian Territories (the West Bank and the Gaza Strip) which have been occupied by Israel since the war in 1967. Prior to that, these areas were occupied by Jordan and Egypt respectively, and prior to that by the British.

Palestine lies in the heart of one of the most contested parts of the world and the history of the Palestian-Israeli conflict could fill libraries – I’m not an expert on this vast topic and it’s not a topic I will attempt to cover here.

After reading about the West Bank and the Palestinian people, I wanted to see the West Bank and meet the people for myself. I headed first to the little town of Bethlehem (which I hadn’t realized was within the Palestinian Territories prior to my trip to the Middle East). Bethlehem is inside the portion of the West Bank that is under Palestinian control and, therefore, Israelis are not allowed to enter this area.

As you approach this part of the West Bank, the “separation barrier” between Israel and the West Bank comes into view in the distance.

This barrier, called a “security fence” by Israel and an “Apartheid Wall” by Palestinians, is a 430 mile barrier along and within the West Bank. Ninety percent of the barrier is a fence surrounded by trenches. The remaining ten percent (including the area around Bethlehem) is a 26 foot tall concrete wall that is more than 10 feet thick. The entire barrier includes regular observation posts manned by Israeli soldiers.

Israel built the barrier to protect Israeli civilians from Palestinian terrorists and suicide bombers (the high concrete portions are to protect Israelis from gunfire). Since construction of the barrier began, the number of terrorist attacks within Israel has significantly decreased.

The barrier creates significant issues with respect to international borders – many countries and the United Nations have commented on, and in some cases condemned this wall. One of the main reasons for the international outcry is that Israel is building much of the wall on Palestinian land. Additionally, the barrier in some places cuts through neighborhoods (and in some instances even surrounds homes on 3 sides -- see photo below) and therefore severely restricts movement within the West Bank and impacts local communities.

I understand the theory behind the barrier and the reasons why it was built. But rather than focus on the politics of it, I would rather share how much I was affected by the experience of the wall. While the impetus for the wall may have been security for Israel, the wall's location and its sheer size have made it a constant reminder to the Palestinians living near it of their ongoing conflict and lack of personal freedoms. Seeing it, standing in front of it, just being there was moving and incredibly difficult to process. It was certainly unlike anything I have lived with in my life and I found it overwhelming. It was a very emotional experience for me on several levels which explains why it has taken some time for me to share it.

Many sections of the wall on the Palestinian side, have been used for graffiti and artistic expression. In areas it has become a giant concrete canvas.

It has been called “the largest protest banner in the world.”

Seeing the enormous concrete wall was moving in and of itself. . .but seeing the emotions it inspired in others was at times both heartbreaking and inspiring.

Looking at me, you can get an idea of the size of the wall

Much of the graffiti focuses on tearing down the wall.

Much of the graffiti speaks to the Palestinian spirit.

In 2005, the famous British graffiti artist, Banksy, visited the West Bank. While there, he left his artistic mark on the wall.

Roger Waters even added “Tear Down the Wall” -- a line from Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album.

I only visited a small portion of the wall. But many images are imprinted in my mind from that visit. One image spoke to me louder than any other -- a symbol of human spirit and resiliency. There is one area where the wall cuts through a neighborhood -- across the street from a restaurant that decided to turn it into a positive. They painted a white rectangle across four of the panels and the restaurant owner projects movies and television onto the wall for people in the neighborhood. He created a massive concrete screen.

I ate dinner at this restaurant in July. That evening the neighborhood was watching the Olympics. It seemed so perfect, so symbolic. It was beautiful to see these people, staring at something so ugly yet seeing only hope and community. I’ve always been a fan of the “Olympic spirit” and the memory of this special evening, after an incredibly emotional day, will always be with me.

Just a few weeks ago (long after my trip to the West Bank), the United Nations held a historic vote – to change Palestine’s status to a “non-member state.”

Time will tell what the future will bring to these people and their Israeli neighbors. I can only hope that it is a lasting peace one in which they are only adversaries in sporting events.

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