Banksy’s in Bethlehem |

banksy's shop bethlehem IMG_3275

When blank concrete walls are constructed in socioeconomically deprived areas, graffiti is sure to be painted. Not long after the Israeli-controlled, Palestinian territory, the West Bank, was imprisoned inside an eight-metre high wall, street art began to appear, most notably made by British-artist, Banksy.

This Bristolian has painted in the occupied Palestinian territories more than once, recently even going so far as to sneak into Gaza to paint a kitten playing with a ball, among other works, all aimed at shedding light on the area and the plight of the Palestinian people The alternative being to succumb to a feeling of helplessness, similar to the woe being experienced by people in Paris, Beirut, Iraq, and Weston-super-Mare, at this moment, too. His Gaza interventions included an unusually earnest quote: “If we wash our hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless we side with the powerful – we don’t remain neutral”.

Bethlehem was chosen for the Pictures on Walls, Santa’s Ghetto exhibition in 2007, which was usually made in Central London. The erection of the wall inspired a new location choice, with around twenty artists, including Peter Blake, Antony Micallef, Paul Insect, Ron English, and Faile, who joined Banksy to make work to sell at a pop-up exhibition held at Manger Square, as well as a series of giant paintings around the city and on the wall itself.

Eight years later, and with much of the art produced covered over by fresh work, and a couple of Banksys having been removed from private walls and sold off by local residents, ending up at auction managed by the reprehensible Keszler and Bankrobber galleries, the interventions made by Banksy and other artists have been ineffectual in making the situation improve. Israel tightens the noose on the region.

Below is a documentary of the works on the wall and around Bethlehem.

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Illegal wall, illegal posters of famous Banksy graphics for sale in Bethlehem.

banksy make hummus not walls bethlehem portrait “This huge wall is blocking out the sun, but screw it, we’re wearing sunglasses anyway.”

banksy bethlehem rock throw youth cemetary IMG_3347 Local kids, frustrated and bored, throw stones at heavily armed Israeli soldiers sat inside a watchtower. Palestinian soldiers try to keep the peace.

blu bethlehem palestine street art IMG_3297 Blu from Bologna in Italy.

Banksy Stop & Search, one of two identical walls made in Bethlehem. The other was removed by UK-based, Bankrobber Gallery and auctioned in the US.

Claire Astanas’ gift shop on the opposite side of the wall to Rachel’s Tomb, where handicrafts include wooden separation walls, and recreation of Banksy artworks.

Falafel meal with a Coke and a smile at Banksy’s.

Sam3 from Spain.

political mural ayda refugee bethlehem palestine IMG_3033 Mural painted at Ayda Refugee Camp

leila khaled mural bethlehem IMG_3048 A locally painted mural of Leila Khaled, a Palestinian hero and martyr, and the poster-girl of the resistance movement. After being imprisoned for hijacking a domestic passenger plane, and later released in a prisoner swap, she is now involved in the politics of the moderate Palestinian National Council.

banksy bethlehem make hummus not walls graffiti IMG_3329 301px “MAKE HUMMUS NOT WALLS” by Banksy, 2007.

Kando’s store and gas station and a work by How and Nosm, based in New York. The artists were in Palestine teaching art to women and girls living in refugee camps. The Kando family made its money in selling the Dead Sea Scrolls which hang in the Israel Museum.

korea artist mural israel palestine separation wall IMG_3122

west bank mural bethlehem made in korea IMG_3116

west bank mural graffiti bethlehem made in korea IMG_3118 copy Painted by an anonymous group of Korean artists.

The head of a camel, painted by Sam3 in 2007. An adjacent restaurant, formerly “Bahama’s Seafood Restaurant,” and then “Bahama’s Steak Restaurant,” and most recently, “The Wall Steak House,” has painted two large white squares – one a faded menu, the other a football projection screen – over the camel’s body. The group has also screwed in a sign under the chin of Sam3′s camel, making clear the demarcation in the cultural hierarchy in Palestinian society: football and food before art.