Political Graffiti on the West Bank Wall in Israel/ Palestine

339 Pages·2013·13.685 MB·English

by  Steven T. Olberg, David Smith

POLITICAL GI, T7FITTI
ON THE WEST BANK WALL
IN IS EL / PALESTINE
Steven T. Olberg
With a Foreword by
David Smith
The Edwin Mellen Press
Lewiston•Queenston•Lampeter
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Olberg, Steven T.
Political graffiti on the West Bank wall in Israel / Palestine /
Steven T. Olberg , with a foreword by David Smith.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7734-4070-8 (hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-7734-4070-4 (hardcover)
I. Graffiti--Political aspects--Israel. 2. Graffiti--Political aspects--
Palestine. 3. Graffiti--Political aspects--West Bank. I. Title.
GT3913.81.175053 2013
320.95695'3--dc23
2012037148
hors serie.
A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British
Library.
Copyright © 2013 Steven G. Olberg
All rights reserved. For information contact
The Edwin Mellen Press The Edwin Mellen Press
Box 450 Box 67
Lewiston, New York Queenston, Ontario
USA 14092-0450 CANADA LOS ILO
The Edwin Mellen Press, Ltd.
Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales
UNITED KINGDOM SA48 8LT
Printed in the United States of America
Dedication
I dedicate this publication and research project to my
parents, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Olberg, for their enduring support
of me in this research project!

(cid:9)
Table of Contents
Abstract ...... ....... ........... ........................................
Commendatory Foreword-Dr. David Smith(cid:9) ...... ........ iii
Preface-Dr. Liza Burr ............. ....... ........................... v
Chapter 1-Introduction (cid:9) ii
The Wall . .... 1
Graffiti as a Nonviolent Response to the Wall (cid:9) 6
Purpose of the Study (cid:9) 8
Thesis: Expected Dichotomy of Thought Created
by Divisive Structure (cid:9) 12
Chapter 2-- Literature Review (cid:9) 15
Introduction-Street Art and Political Graffiti . (cid:9) ..I5
Street Art (cid:9) 16
Visual and Social Transformations: Fluid Messages
and Ambiguous Aesthetics in Street Art (cid:9) 19
Giving Voice to the Silenced Through Active
Resistance (cid:9) 23
Anonymous Product and Invisible Process in
Grassroots Communication (cid:9) 27
National Identity and Sovereignty Politics (cid:9) 28
Conclusion: Historical Context Applied to the
Political Graffiti on the West Bank Wall ........ ..... 30
Chapter 3- Methodology (cid:9) 33
Photographic Archiving of Graffiti (cid:9) 33
Decoding of Graffiti Photographs (cid:9) 36
Bethlehem and Hebrew Universities
Descriptions (cid:9) 39
Recruitment of Student Participants From
Bethlehem and Hebrew Universities (cid:9) 41
Interview Process (cid:9) 45
Chapter 4-Political Graffiti (cid:9) . 51
Introduction and Initial Impressions (cid:9) 51
Graphic and Stylistic Tools of Communication (cid:9) 53
Monster Theme with Restrictions of Movement and
the Pictures of the Wall (cid:9) 59
Monster Related to the Right of Return (cid:9) 61
Monster: The West Bank Wall Itself as Graffiti (cid:9) 64
Monster as an Historical Reference (cid:9) 69
Methods of Social Transformation Seen in Graphic
and Stylistic Tools of Communication (cid:9) 70
International Graffiti Movement and Identities
Using English, Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, French,
and German (cid:9) .. 72
International Graffiti Movement and Identities
Seen in Arabic Examples ............ ....... . (cid:9) 77
International Graffiti Movement and Identities
Seen In the International Support and Solidarity 79
International Graffiti Movement and Identities
Seen with American Support or Condemnation .... 83
International Graffiti Movement and Identities
Seen with Political Heroes and Villains (cid:9) 85
Natural Resource as seen with Land, Olive Trees,
Water, "Land as People" (cid:9) 88
Natural Resources Seen with Olive Trees and
Water (cid:9) 90
Equality Seen in Graphic Renderings of Peace,
Love, Nonviolence, and Freedom (cid:9) 91
Equality in Messages of Peace and Love (cid:9) 94
Equality in the Graphic Renderings of Justice
and Freedom (cid:9) 96
Resistance and Nonviolence (cid:9) 99
Change Concept with Violence and Revolution —101
Change and Nonviolence Concepts (cid:9) 103
Gender and Religion (cid:9) 104
Concluding Synthesis and Lessons Learned
From Graffiti Messages (cid:9) ..105
Chapter 5- Student Interviews (cid:9) 111
Introduction (cid:9) .. 111
Overall Impressions (cid:9) 111
The Wall (cid:9) 118
Graffiti Techniques and Symbolism (cid:9) 132
Definitions, Boundaries, and Identities (cid:9) 150
Solidarity and Identities (cid:9) ... 155
National Identities (cid:9) . 162
Ownership and Boundaries, Imperialism and
the Right of Return (cid:9) 164
Ownership and Boundaries, Claims of Ethnic
Cleansing, Apartheid Comparisons, and
Accusations of Fascism (cid:9) 180
Hope and Peace (cid:9) 189
Fear of the Present and Hope for the Future,
and Proposed Solutions for Peace (cid:9) 192
Opinions Regarding World Leaders (cid:9) 196
Religion and Political Philosophies as Variables
for Peace (cid:9) 199
Inhumane Suffering and Inappropriate Civilian
Targeting (cid:9) 202
Ownership, and Boundaries, and Inhumanity (cid:9) 205
Fear of the Present, Hope for the Future, and
Fear of Terrorism (cid:9) 209
Communication, Education, and Compromise
with Summative Questions .....(cid:9) ...........(cid:9) 213
Lessons Learned From Student Interviews (cid:9) 226
Chapter 6-Conclusion and Future Research Possibilities.229
Significance and Meaning of Research (cid:9) 229
Power Imbalance and the Abuse of Natural
Resources(cid:9) .......(cid:9) ............ ........ ...........(cid:9) 231
Communication (cid:9) 233
Education (cid:9) 234
Compromise (cid:9) 235
Lessons Learned, Future Research Possibilities,
and Possibilities for Peace Action Steps (cid:9) 237
Epilogue-Dr. Pam Nice (cid:9) .. 241
Reference (cid:9) . 243
.
Appendices (cid:9) . 251
Index (cid:9) 317