Banksy in Bethlehem: Art and the Barrier Between Two Nations

Banksy visit to the West Bank brought up a string of controversy, on both sides. His art, however, remains appropriately controversial and intriguing.

His art always makes a not-so-subtle social statement. His rats, perhaps, representing the “rat race” of modern society.
To any graffiti artist, an unadorned wall takes on the temptation of an artist’s easel.
When Israel built the controversial 436 mile long security barrier to separate itself from the Palestinian Authority controlled areas, they might as well have sent out an invitation to Banksy at the same time!
He is quoted by The Mail Online as saying: “The segregation wall is a disgrace…The possibility I find exciting is that you could turn the world’s most invasive and degrading structure into the world’s longest gallery of free speech and bad art.” A UK television station, Channel 4, ran a news item quoting Banksy’s attitude to the wall: “It turns Palestine into the world’s largest open prison,” and described the wall as “the ultimate Graffiti Artists’ holiday destination.”
His art is unquestionably intriguing.
So with this huge canvas available, Banksy took his “holiday” in 2005.......

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