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Friday March 23, 2007

Peaceniks use funny-face art to reduce tensions of wall

by marshall thompson
ap

jerusalem | For his giant-sized portrait plastered on the imposing concrete barrier between Jewish and Arab parts of Jerusalem, Ayman made a funny face by pulling down the skin underneath his eyes. Ronen decided to squish his face together with both hands, and Muna made bug eyes.

The posters pair Palestinians and Israelis who have signed petitions for peace to show the humor and humanity the two groups share. Face 2 Face, a group of artists and activists from Paris and Geneva who have worked on the project for a year, put up posters on the separation barrier in Jerusalem as a “testimony of dialogue.”

Local Palestinians were skeptical. “The pictures are beautiful, but I don’t see them,” said Khalil Khamis of Jerusalem. “I see all the problems the Palestinians are facing. There is no peace with this wall.”

Israel began building the barrier in 2002, saying the complex of concrete walls, razor wire and trenches is intended to keep Palestinian suicide bombers out of Israel. The Palestinians say the barrier, which dips into the West Bank in many areas to include Jewish settlements on the “Israeli” side, is a land grab.

Face 2 Face has plastered nearly 30 posters around Israel and the West Bank and hopes to eventually have 82 — 41 on each side. Participants declined to give their last names because the project is technically illegal.

The hardships caused by the barrier came graphically clear just as the artists were posting their pictures.

A 22-year-old Palestinian screamed in agony after illegally crossing the 30-foot wall by slipping under the concertina wire on top. He was letting himself down on a thin, knotted rope when he fell and broke his leg.

A Red Crescent ambulance took him to the hospital, where he was treated for head injuries as well. Israeli police said the man lacked the right paperwork to cross legally.

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