Special B’Tselem project: Women illustrators depict stories of Palestinian women in split Gaza-West
Published:
6 Mar 2014
The recently published report So Near and Yet So Far by HaMoked and B’Tselem presents Israel's policy of isolating the Gaza Strip. The policy results in a forced separation between families in cases when a West Bank woman marries a Gaza resident or a woman from Gaza marries a West Bank man. Women are torn between their life with their husband and children and their longing to see the family into which they were born, whom they are rarely allowed to meet. In this unique project, B’Tselem entrusted five women illustrators with the testimonies of five women. The project was completed as International Women’s Day (8 March) approaches. The results are now available on B’Tselem’s website. (Please note: the Hebrew illustrations are available here, we expect all English translations to be online next week).
In preparing the report, we encountered many instances of split families, whose plight is virtually unknown to the Israeli public. We hope that the comic strip format will help break down the barriers of language, distrust and fear, so all can see the people – and particularly the women – who are denied such basic daily experiences such as getting together with one’s mother, inviting a sister for tea, or having a tête-a- tête with one’s father. This, even when there is no claim the individual women pose a security risk.
The women behind the project
Asmaa Zaghlul, illustrated by Ilana Zeffren
http://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20140306_so_near_and_yet_so_far_comics