Banksy's Gaza Works: A Decade of Protest Art

Ten years ago, Banksy created a series of works in the Gaza Strip, including a parody of Rodin's The Thinker with a hand covering the face in despair, a kitten playing with a rusty metal ball, and children swinging around a watchtower. These images highlighted the segregation and apartheid imposed by Israel on Palestine. In 2015, Banksy posted a pseudo-tourist video on Instagram documenting devastation from Israel's 2014 Operation Protective Edge, sarcastically urging viewers to "discover a new destination." He described Gaza as the world's largest open-air prison, lacking electricity and drinking water. Earlier, in 2005 and 2007, he painted on the West Bank wall, including the iconic dove with a bulletproof vest. In 2017, he curated The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, three meters from the separation wall, advertised as having "the worst view in the world." The hotel drew international praise but also criticism for capitalizing on Palestinian occupation. Banksy's latest London work, depicting a protester beaten by a judge, appeared after nearly 900 arrests during a protest to remove Palestine Action from the terror list. The article speculates whether current protests will inspire further works on Palestine.