In 2004, Israel defended itself bravely against the terror tortoises and other animals in Rafah's children's zoo. The real point of the exercise was to break the Gazans' spirits and will in order to get them to leave their land and homes. This remains the Israeli objective today, 2014, since they know they cannot actually clear all the Hamas' tunnels and stop all the rockets. I produced my 'Sacrificial Animals' series in response and reproduce two here; all can be seen in the 'Sacrificial Animals' page of this site.
The Tortoise.
I have 'destroyed' the image as the tortoise
was destroyed by the Israeli attack, Rafah, Gaza, 2004.
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The Parrot. Again, the parrot is destroyed in the painting. Remembering the Israeli attack, Rafah, Gaza, 2004.
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In 2010 the Yibnah Artists' Forum managed to produce and send to England wonderful and poignant art commemorating the devastating Israeli attack 'Cast Lead' in 2009, in which 1,400 Palestinians died. Despite the terrible circumstances, its poster was colourful and joyful. The spirit of Gaza lives. Cast Lead was noted for its use of phosphorous bombs, illegal when used against civilians. Such bombs actually melt the human body. I could not show here the unutterably horrific images of the babies and children who were burned. I have shown instead a more distanced image, constructed from photographs taken at the time.
Phosphorous bombing: Cast Lead
Gaza, 2009 The UN Report, known as the 'Goldstone Report' accused both Israel and Hamas of war crimes. Israel and its backers fought a battle of words with as much ferocity as they showed in Cast Lead and forced Goldstone to retract. Amnesty International's report as well as Human Rights Watch tell the truth of the matter. |
Memories of Gaza. The poster itself can be seen at devrasartblog.weebly.com. Here I have destroyed it with a photograph of actual destruction in Gaza from the Israeli attack in 2009.
Gaza 2014
I have stressed the ever-recurring violence that seems to have become ingrained in the eternal conflict between Israel and Gaza. Nobody learns the simple lesson—if what you are doing doesn't work, try something different. This is because Israel is intent on having a Greater Israel and NOT making peace with Palestinians. It was quite up to making peace with Egypt and Jordan, having no realistic territorial ambitions in either country. There only problem is with the Palestinians.
Israel and Palestine are bound togther, however much to each one's discomfort. They are two sides of the same coin, although actual capacity for violence is obviously highly skewed to the Israeli side. So I try to show that yes, they are the same. It's not easy to tell the two babies apart in my image below.
Israel and Palestine are bound togther, however much to each one's discomfort. They are two sides of the same coin, although actual capacity for violence is obviously highly skewed to the Israeli side. So I try to show that yes, they are the same. It's not easy to tell the two babies apart in my image below.