In photos: Palestinian resilience at Israeli checkpoints and walls

Oren Ziv The Electronic Intifada 27 August 2013

Qalandyia checkpoint on the first Friday of the Ramadan, 12 July.

The freedom of movement of approximately 2.75 million Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is severely curtailed by Israel’s permit regime, wall and system of checkpoints. These movement restrictions prevent Palestinians in the West Bank from freely accessing holy sites in Jerusalem and other cultural and recreation sites and family in the city and present-day Israel. Meanwhile, Palestinians from the West Bank are not able to travel to Gaza, and vice versa, with only rare exception.

Documentary photographer Oren Ziv followed Palestinian families from the West Bank as they attempted to reach al-Aqsa mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem for Friday prayers during the recently-concluded month of Ramadan and travel to the sea for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month.

Oren Ziv is a co-founder of the ActiveStills photography collective.

Palestinian women cross Qalandiya checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem to attend the Ramadan Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, 12 July.

Palestinian women cross Qalandiya checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem to attend the Ramadan Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, 12 July.

An Israeli border police officer stands in front of Palestinians as they wait to broad a bus from Qalandiya checkpoint outside Ramallah and travel to Jerusalem to attend Ramadan Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque, 26 July.

Palestinian men walk near a section of the wall at Qalandiya checkpoint as they cross into Jerusalem to attend Ramadan Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque, 26 July.

Palestinian youth carry a ladder as they prepare to cross the wall between the West Bank town of al-Ram and Jerusalem, 2 August.

A Palestinian youth wearing a hooded sweatshert to cover his face prepares to cross the wall between al-Ram and Jerusalem, 2 August.

Israeli soldiers remove a ladder used by Palestinians to climb over the Israeli wall in al-Ram, north of Jerusalem, on their way to al-Aqsa mosque in the Old city of Jerusalem to attend the third Friday prayers during the month of Ramadan, 2 August.

A Palestnian medic sleeps on a stretcher at Qalandiya checkpoint outside Ramallah, 2 August.

An Israeli border policeman (right) orders a Palestinian man to leave Qalandiya checkpoint as the man was not allowed into Jerusalem, 2 August.

Palestinians use a ladder to climb over Israel’s wall in al-Ram, north of Jerusalem, on their way to Al-Aqsa mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem to attend the third Friday prayers during the month of Ramadan, 2 August.

A Palestinian couple holds hands at the beach between Jaffa and Tel Aviv, 3 August.

Israeli and Palestinian activists play in the water with Palestinian kids from the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh at a beach in the city of Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, 4 August. Activists who attend the anti-occupation Friday demonstration at Nabi Saleh took kids from the village for a day of fun at the beach. Palestinian kids under the age of 12 who live in the West Bank don’t need a permit in order to enter Israel during Ramadan.

A Palestinian woman walks with her child at a Tel Aviv beach during Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, 8 August. Israel allowed the entry of tens of thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank into Israel, which they are normally barred from, since the beginning of Ramadan.

Palestinians from the West Bank enjoy a day at a Tel Aviv beach during Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, 8 August. Israel allowed the entry of tens of thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank into Israel, which they are normally barred from, since the beginning of Ramadan.

A Palestinian woman prays at a Tel Aviv beach during Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, 8 August. Israel allowed the entry of tens of thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank into Israel, which they are normally barred from, since the beginning of Ramadan.

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