Critical Photography-The Bitter Landscapes of Palestine

Through an interplay of words and images, this book documents the life of Palestinian communities of shepherds and farmers under Israeli occupation that threatens their very survival. Years of human rights activism in Palestine have guided the authors in crafting this unique visual and verbal record. 172 colour illus.

“The photographs and texts of the literally hardscrabble existence of Arab goat herders on lands now claimed and contested by Israeli ‘settlers’ from elsewhere render that dreadful tug-of-war human, all too human. These images bridge the gap between global politics and everyday life in zones of conflict in ways that ordinary reporting cannot hope to achieve. They capture the rhythms, random gestures and hint of the better natures of avowed ‘enemies’ as well as the humble beauty of the animals that graze and thereby truly occupy this ideologically charged territory. In these images a germ of peace survives even as our awareness of continual dispossession and gathering, spasmodic devastation increases.”
– Robert Storr, painter, critic, and curator, Professor Emeritus, Yale University

Through photographs and written narratives, this book depicts the lives of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories on the West Bank, in particular the South Hebron Hills and the Jordan Valley. This moving book conveys the beauty of the landscape, the essence of the language, the value of friendships, and the richness of a threatened way of life. It includes interviews with activists, both Jewish and Palestinian. The authors’ perspective reflects their many years of involvement in peace and human rights activism in Palestine and captures the ongoing dialogue as their experiences and encounters continue.

Margaret Olin is Senior Lecturer Emerita, Yale University. She specializes in visual culture and theory, and is also a photographer active in the Israeli-Palestinian peace movement. David Shulman is Professor Emeritus, Hebrew University Jerusalem. He is scholar of South Asian language and literature, and veteran activist in the Israeli-Palestinian peace movement.

Part of the Critical Photography series

Using both photographs and written narratives, The Bitter Landscapes of Palestine provides a depiction of the lives and struggles faced by Palestinians living in the occupied Palestinian territories on the West Bank, in particular the South Hebron Hills and the Jordan Valley. It sheds light on issues including house demolitions, conflicts between Palestinian shepherds or farmers and Israeli settlers, soldiers, and police, the daily struggles brought about by the occupation's efforts to displace Palestinians from their land, and the resilience and bravery required to endure these conditions. This moving book conveys the beauty of the landscape, the essence of the language, the value of friendships, and the richness of a threatened way of life.

Voices of activists, both Palestinian and Jewish, are brought into focus. The historical context that generated present realities in Palestine is outlined briefly, as well as the history of the authors’ partnership. Their perspective mirrors extensive years of involvement in peace and human rights activism in Palestine. It also captures the ongoing dialogue between the two authors, who have experienced together the continually renewed astonishment that comes with such experiences and encounters.