Permits, Paintings and Stories - The Palestinian Wall

I have never experienced the Berlin Wall, so it was quite alarming for me to see the wall which goes around the Westbank.

It’s around 8 metres high and you can only pass it through the checkpoints.

As we were a big touristic group there weren’t many problems to pass. But as a Palestinian you need a permit to pass the checkpoint. 

On the pictures you can see a example for such a permit which is spread by non-governmental organisations in Palestine to inform about the permit-system. The permits are only granted to a those how apply especially for them. You have to have a reason why you want to leave and you will get a timelimit when you are allowed to leave and when you have to come back. To get such a permit is quite time consuming. First you have to go the Palastinian office, then to the israeli and so on... That can take up to a few weeks, because they want to see quite many things... But what one of the biger problems is, that often the permit doesn’t guarantee for sure, that someone can pass the checkpoint, because if they don't want to let you pass, they don't let you pass.

The wall itself is painted with different kind of pictures or sayings.

You can see appeals for Peace and Freedom.

 

There are as well as paintings from persons.
For example there is this really big painting of Leila Khaled. She is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and now member of the Palestinian National Council. She’s quite famous for her hijacking an airline and was released during a prisoner exchange.

Also there is this exhibition which is called the “Wall Museum”. Repeatedly you can see big white sheets with stories told by Palestinian citizens about their life with and behind the wall. I’m not sure how many there are but there are quite a lot and I’d like to share some with you.

Till next time ;)

Fiona