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جميع المشاريع
More than 67 Palestinian women were forced to give birth at checkpoints between 2000 and 2005. Comprehensive closures during the Second Intifada (2001) resulted in complete prohibitions on Palestinian movement into Israel, and between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. These restrictions remain until this day and Israel stands behind this policy by arguing that it is necessary to protect its citizens. This project explores a series of births that took place at checkpoints by pairing portraits with relevant belongings of the subjects involved. Whether it is a premature death certificate or clothes prepared for a child that were never worn, these elements were inanimate witnesses to an otherwise undocumented event. They aim to introduce personal narratives by taking the viewer into images beyond what is usually seen, inviting them to explore stories through their secondary characters. The project is an intersection of memory, loss, grief, and a sad truth that all that remains from these tragedies are mere objects that bear witness to a slowly fading history.
Amnah was 19-years-old when she was forced to give birth to her first child at a military checkpoint. Upon arriving at a checkpoint, they were held for five hours by Israeli soldiers. Her mother tried to explain her daughter's situation as she was bleeding heavily, but they refused to let her through. By the time they were able to take another route to reach the hospital, the baby had died in her womb.
كانت آمنة في التاسعة عشر من عمرها حين أُجبرت على وضع مولودها الأول على حاجزٍ عسكريّ. احتجزها الجنود الإسرائيليون لخمس ساعات عقب وصولها للمعبر. حاولت أمّها إنقاذ الموقف عندما شرعت آمنة بالنزيف، إلا أنّ الإسرائيليين رفضوا السماح لها بالمرور. وريثما تمكنّت من سلوك طريق آخر للمستشفى كان الجنين قد مات في رحمها.
Kifah starting feeling birth pains at around 4 A.M. In order to reach a hospital, Kifah had to cross a checkpoint, but was denied permission to pass. As her husband was trying to convince the soldiers to let them pass, Kifah fell to the ground and started to give birth. As soon as the baby's head emerged, the soldiers allowed them to cross to a waiting ambulance. Kifah gave birth to her son at the checkpoint, causing him irreparable brain damage.
شعرت كفاح بآلام الوضع حوالى الرابعة فجراً. يفصلها عن المستشفى معبر إسرائيلي رفض منحها التصريح اللازم. وبينما يحاول زوجها التفاوض مع العسكر الإسرائيلي سقطت كفاح أرضاً وشرعت بوضع مولودها، وبمجرد أن خرج إلى الدنيا، سُمح لهما بالعبور نحو سيارة إسعاف تنتظر على الناحية الأخرى. وضعت كفاح مولودها على المعبر، ما تسبّب له في تشوّه دماغي لا يمكن علاجه.
Eight months pregnant and bleeding heavily, Tarab was prevented from crossing a checkpoint at 4 A.M. A puddle of blood formed beneath her seat as her husband negotiated with soldiers at a second checkpoint. They finally let them pass but only on foot. Her husband carried her in a cart to the hospital. The journey took them eight hours. The baby died in the womb thirty minutes before reaching the hospital.
في شهرها الثامن داهم تَرَاب نزيفٌ حاد ومُنعت من اجتياز معبر إسرائيلي في الرابعة فجراً. كانت بركة الدم تتّسع أسفل مقعدها بينما يفاوض زوجها العسكر عند معبر آخر. سمحوا لهما بالعبور مُترجلين، فحملها زوجها على عربة يد إلى المستشفى. استغرقت رحلتهما ثمان ساعات، ومات الجنين قبل أن يصلا إلى المستشفى بثلاثين دقيقة.
“He was beautiful. I've never seen such a beautiful baby. Like an angel...” - Ghaleb, father of a stillborn child at a checkpoint.
"كان جميلاً. لم أرَ بحياتي مولوداً بهذا الجمال. كأنه ملاك." -غالب، أب لجنين وُلد ميتاً على أحد المعابر.
“When I see children going to school, I feel intense pain. I imagine my son could've been one of them now.”
"عندما أرى أطفالاً في طريقهم إلى المدرسة أشعر بألمٍ بالغ. أتخيل أن ابني لربما كان بينهم الآن."
Death certificates are issued for the families as proof of the child's death. Most certificates end up worn out and torn apart, just as these women’s hopes of ever achieving any justice.
تُصدَّر شهادات الوفاة للعائلة كإثبات لموت وليدهم. تتمزق وتبلى معظم شهادات وفيات المواليد بمرور الوقت، تماماً كما تبلى آمال أمهاتهم في نيل العدالة.
“Died in her womb. Soldiers at Huwwara checkpoint forbid a pregnant women bleeding heavily from reaching the hospital.”
"مات في رحمها. منع الجنود الإسرائيليون على معبر حوّارة امرأة حامل تنزف بغزارة من الوصول إلى المستشفى."
Due to extreme circumstances, Ahmed suffered from lack of oxygen while being born at a checkpoint. At the age of three months Ahmed still did not react to sound or moving objects. He has received medical treatment, but still suffers from eyesight problems and learning disabilities.
بسبب الظروف الاستثنائية أثناء ولادته على المعبر، عانى أحمد من نقص الأكسجين. عند عمر ثلاثة أشهر لم يتمكن من الاستجابة للمثيرات الصوتية والأشياء المتحركة. حتى بعد تلقيه العلاج الطبي، لم يزل أحمد يعاني من مشاكل الإبصار وصعوبات التعلّم.
“The soldier was blond. I will never forget him staring at me with his colleague and laughing as I was lying on the floor in labour.” - Kifah
"كان أشقراً. لن أنسى ذلك الجندي الإسرائيلي يضحك مع زميله وأنا ملقاة على الأرض أضع مولودي." - كفاح
“I have no proof of what happened to me that day, except for this piece of cloth from what I was wearing that day. This bore witness to the worst day of my life.”
"لا دليل لديّ على ما حدث معي، إلا قطعة قماش كنت أرتديها يومها، هي الشاهد الوحيد على أسوأ يوم بحياتي."
“I have no proof of what happened to me that day, except for this piece of cloth from what I was wearing that day. This bore witness to the worst day of my life."
قطعة ثياب تعود لمولود ميت، وهي الأثر الوحيد بحوزة أمه على ميلاده المأساوي على معبر إسرائيلي.
A traditional outfit bought by one of the mothers ahead of the child's birth.
لباس تقليدي ابتاعته أم لوليدها قبل ميلاده.
Al-Shuhada Street Checkpoint. At least three births have been documented at this checkpoint.
معبر شارع الشهدا. تم تسجيل ثلاث حالات ولادة على الأقل عند هذا الحاجز.
Born in Jerusalem and raised in the West Bank, Samar Hazboun is interested in political expression through art. Her work has primarily focused on women?s rights in the Middle East but extends more generally to those who have been marginalized by society. With more than 30 solo and group exhibitions around the world, and a number of features in the press, she has continually sought to engage an ever-broadening public with stories desperately in need of an audience. Portfolio | Email
Born in Jerusalem and raised in the West Bank, Samar Hazboun is interested in political expression through art. Her work has primarily focused on women?s rights in the Middle East but extends more generally to those who have been marginalized by society. With more than 30 solo and group exhibitions around the world, and a number of features in the press, she has continually sought to engage an ever-broadening public with stories desperately in need of an audience. Portfolio | Email
