Banksy’s plea for Middle East peace
Separation wall artwork by Banksy attracts many visitors to Palestine’s stand at global travel show in London
Street artist Banksy’s replica separation barrier on display at the Palestine tourist stand at the World Travel Market in London. The two cherubs represent Israel and Palestine, trying to part the 700km wall Israel built in the West Bank, ostensibly to cut terrorism but widely regarded as an apartheid barrier.
Despite having one of the smallest exhibits at the World Travel Market event in London, the Palestine stand had the greatest drawing power after street artist Banksy provided a new artwork to attract attention to Palestine as a destination.
The British graffiti artist, who remains anonymous, displayed the work as part of Palestine’s stand at the tourism conference, gaining the gratitude of the visiting Palestinian Minister for Tourism.
The artist’s work can be seen in cities around the world, including several sites in the Palestinian Territories where he has drawn attention to the divisive effect of the concrete separation barrier imposed by the Israeli authorities.
Hundreds of people were drawn to the stand to catch a glimpse of the latest artwork by the elusive artist, which the ministry of tourism tied to an appeal to travellers to visit his most recent venture, The Walled Off Hotel.
The hotel, which opened early last year, has the “worst view in the world” – directly on to the concrete wall that Israel built around the West Bank in the early 2000s. It also houses a museum, shop and meeting rooms used by local groups.
The work was displayed on grey concrete slabs, mimicking the 700-kilometre-long wall that separates Israel and the rest of the West Bank, and shows two angels representing Israel and Palestine attempting to pry the wall apart.
Announcing the work, Banksy posted a call on his Instagram page for visitors to pretend they were in the tourism business to gain access to the trade event.
“Opening my first ever stall at a trade fair next week. I’ve painted a replica separation barrier to promote The Walled Off hotel, ironically the neighbours have complained it’s too tall,” he wrote.
Palestine’s Minister of Tourism Rula Maayah credits the Banksy effect for driving younger people to visit the country, diversifying the tourism industry from religious tourism to a wider audience.
“In one year, that nine-room hotel attracted 50,000 tourists,” she told The National.
“This means the hotel is attracting tourists ... mainly people who are interested in the culture, arts and different things from what we used to have in Palestine for Christian pilgrimage.”
Not only is the hotel proving a success for the tourism industry in Bethlehem, it is helping to change views of what the West Bank is really like. Ms Maayah believes the word of an outsider can help get across that message.
“Banksy, whether he or she, is not Palestinian ... he’s a person who visited Palestine, was touched by what he saw ... and wanted to show what he felt. He wanted to show the suffering he saw when he visited, and I believe this would help more than us [the ministry for tourism] talking about it.”
The Palestinian team at the WTM event also handed out limited-edition posters by the artist that showed children using a watchtower as a fairground ride. The slogan underneath reads: “Visit historic Palestine, the Israeli army liked it so much they never left!”
Ms Maayah said Banksy was not only promoting the political situation in the Palestinian Territories, but also what tourists would want to see from a holiday destination.
“The way he delivers things is different from other people. He promotes Palestine and focuses on the occupation, but at the same time he is talking about the beauty of Palestine.”
The minister said the country has a lot to offer outside of traditional religious sites, mentioning the burgeoning hotel scene in cities such as Hebron and Jericho.
Most of the Palestinian Territories are declared safe to travel to by foreign governments, but issues remain with access. Visitors must fly into Israel or Jordan and pass through Israeli checkpoints to enter – an arduous, uncertain process that can put off travellers. Once in the Holy Land, tours are also less likely to be guided by Palestinians, giving a warped picture of the reality of life there, Ms Maayah said.
Only 50 Palestinian guides are allowed access to Jerusalem by the Israeli state, yet Israeli guides are given access to all the areas they require.
“The Walled Off Hotel is not just a hotel. We have a museum, the largest gallery in Palestine and a graffiti shop – we are giving tourists a new opportunity to come to Palestine to do something different,” said hotel owner Wisam Salsaa.
“They can swim in the Dead Sea, go to Tel Aviv, visit Jerusalem, pray at the Church of Nativity and then spray graffiti on the separation wall.”
Banksy ... he’s a person who visited Palestine, was touched by what he saw ... and wanted to show what he felt RULA MAAYAH Minister of Tourism, Palestine