Banksy in Bethlehem
If the three kings were trying to get into Bethlehem coming Saturday, they might have a hard time getting through the Israeli checkpoints and, depending on which direction they would come from, possibly also the Israeli West Bank Wall.
Building walls has always been a favorite past time of the rich and mighty, usually as protection against foreign invaders or the poor.
As impressive as it looks, apparently the only building visible from space, but some say, even that is a myth, the Great Wall of China in the end did not live up to its purpose, the protection of the Chinese mainland from the Mongols.
The USA want to defend their empire against the influx of migrants from Latin America with a wall.
East Germany´s communist leaders tried to prevent their people from voting with their feet and leaving to more affluent West Germany with a wall. A new approach to wall building, instead of keeping a foreign invader out, they wanted to keep their people in. Though of course they framed it differently and called it the Anti-fascist Protection Wall.
Another wall, in Belfast, is trying to keep the peace between Catholics and Protestants.
And then there is the Israeli West Bank Wall, a security barrier against Palestinian terrorists, according to Israel, a racial segregation or apartheid wall, according to Palestinians.
The German left has always had lots of sympathies for and solidarity with the Palestinian cause, navigating the thin line between justified criticism of Israel´s treatment of the Palestinians and anti-semitism not always successfully. German RAF (Red Army Fraction) terrorists were even training with the PLO in Lebanon in the seventies.
Having had my politically formative years in the eighties, the time of the Sabra and Shatila massacre and the First Intifada, I got exposed to quite a few anti-Israel positions by my anarchist friends during that time and I remember how difficult it was in those days to not fall into the trap of generalisation and anti-semitism.
When this
reminds you of that
When for example my squatter friends from Hamburg wrote in big letters “Boycott “Israel“ products, kibuzzim + beaches!“ on their squatted house in Hafenstraße, I told them, that it very much reminded me of the “Deutsche, kauft nicht bei Juden!“ (Germans, don´t buy from Jews!) the SA had written on Jewish shop windows in Germany in the thirties.
Now, at a time when everybody was pogoing the night away to the tunes of Daily Terror´s “Hinterlist“ with its infamous lines translating as: “The Holocaust´s credit has been gambled away long time ago, you´ve been leering at our sympathy far too long.“ this did not win me any points, but fuck it! As Germans, with our history with the Jews, we have to be extra vigilant to not fall into the trap of anti-semitism, even if it is left-wing anti-semitism, however cleverly disguised, again.
Nowadays, if you critize Israel as a German, you either risk getting applauded by the wrong kind of people or bashed over the head with the Nazikeule (Nazi club), so I think it´s prudent to let an acclaimed Israeli director do the dirty laundry for me. 😉
Just watch “Checkpoint“ by Yoav Shamir to get an idea.
See, even Jews can be “anti-semites“. 😉
But what I was really getting at with this article, after a bit of a lengthy prelude, but that´s the beauty of losing yourself in the vast regions of the internet, is two videos I came across today.
The Walled Off Hotel by famous, but anonymous artist Banksy is already epic and interesting, but it is the second one about the making of the nativity play which is beyond words.
Danny Boyle, director of Slum Dog Millionaire, got invited by Banksy to stage a nativity play in Bethlehem in front of the wall and he was happy to oblige.
There´s an audio glitch from 40:32 to 43:08, where the tone jumps back to the beginning, but if you then just concentrate on the subtitles, which you should activate anyway to understand the parts which are in Arabic, you should be fine.
That, I think, is the absolute art, to use art to change people´s life, like with the hotel, actually giving jobs to people, but also bringing them, and especially the children, some joy and positivity.
I am neither a Christian, nor religious, but if Christmas brings people joy and some relief from the harsh realities of life, I´m all for it.
If you live in the UK, or have the computer skills to trick BBC into believing that you do, you can apparently watch the nativity play on BBC´s website.
May the world´s walls crumble,
especially those in the heads!
For more inspiring stories and a group of inspiring and supportive people check out @ecotrain.
Great post!
There are a lot of historic walls. Luckily some got taken down.
It's a little odd that we as humans have builded more walls than bridges. But that's how it is:-)
Cheers!
Thanks.
Yes, I guess that is because of fear or at least lack of trust.
good post i like it
Well done. There is enough video here to lose the whole morning!
Thanks for taking the time to talk about uncomfortable issues. I imagine this is especially confusing if you are German.
'Wait...the Jews are the bullies now?'
I will keep working for a world where we can all get along ;p (and keep reading your articles!)
Maybe I'll watch these videos on the plane going home tomorrow. Your posts are always so well done.
Definite extra points for Banksy.
Way to go!
Might probably beat any official inflight entertainment, unless they got Slumdog Millionaire.
I watched it once on the plane to India. Epic!
Our internet here in the jungle is a tad too slow for videos. Or perhaps more accurately, I am not patient enough, but I appreciate you covering this topic and with incredible sensitivity. I read a book by Jimmy Carter on the conflict many years ago that really clarified all I had previously learned. The Palestinian people have really been horribly screwed and it boggles my brain every time someone complains that they are fighting to get their own land back. It's a testament to the power of brainwashing and the manipulation of public opinion.
Yes, it´s difficult to see, how there ever can be peace with all those injustices prevailing.
Luckily I´m blessed with living in a peaceful country and if this would change I could leave.
Agreed, particularly with the US and others continually funding the Israeli military. Belize has its issues, but it's mostly peaceful. People are much too laid back here for any fighting.