Borders & Barriers-Israeli Separation Barrier

Just arrived back in Jordan from  assignment in Israel and Palestine. This is the first part of a long term project about physical borders and barriers around the world that separate communities due to conflict, illegal immigration or territorial issues.

I’ll be processing and editing when I’m back in Perth so below is just a quick view of what I’ve been working on. I’ll be writing a more comprehensive report and publish a fuller story in a few weeks. I’m off to Cyprus in a few days to continue the story there so will post again when I hopefully start shooting pictures on phase two of the project.

A Palestinian woman walks past a mural of the late Yasser Arafat painted on the separation wall at the Qalandiya checkpoint near the West Bank town of Ramallah.

The separation wall which works its way into the centre of Bethlehem.

After queuing up since 4am Palestinians clamber to get into the checkpoint at Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem to get through to work in Jerusalem.

A schoolboy gets lost in the crowd as people try and push through the checkpoint in Qalandiya. The wall separated many children from their homes and schools and now have to speand hours each day going through the daunting checkpoint procedure to get to school.

A schoolboy gets lost in the crowd as people try and push through the checkpoint in Qalandiya. The wall separated many children from their homes and schools and they now have to spend hours each day going through the daunting checkpoint procedure to get to school.

As the checkpoint is finally opened at 6am, Palestinian workers surge forward, crushing everyone within the cage at Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem.

A Palestinian worker sits exhausted on a bus waiting to take him to work in Jerusalem after queueing up at Rachel's Tomb checkpoint in Bethlehem for over 3 hours from 4am.

The separation wall between Palestine and Israel in Ar Ram near Ramallah looking into the Jerusalem region of Atarot.

A farmer waits for the agricultural gate at Attil to be opened by IDF soldiers.

IDF soldiers open North Gate, an agricultural access gate on the separation barrier in the village of Jayyus. The gate is opened 3 times a day for about 30 minutes each to give farmers access to their land they have been separated from.

IDF soldiers open North Gate, an agricultural access gate on the separation barrier in the village of Jayyus. The gate is opened 3 times a day for about 30 minutes to give farmers access to their land they have been separated from. They are effectively trapped their until the soldiers turn up again to open the gate and let them back to their village.

IDF soldiers close the Attil agricultural gate in the separation barrier near the West bank town of Tulkarm. through the Separation Barrier outside the West Bank town Tulkarm. Many of the farmers have lost the majority of their land to the barrier and have to apply for permits to cross the barrier to work.

IDF soldiers close the Attil agricultural gate in the separation barrier near the West bank town of Tulkarm. Many of the farmers have lost the majority of their land to the barrier and have to apply for permits to cross the barrier to work. Permits are often refused for no reason resulting in wasted crops and income difficulties for the farmers.

Teenagers play by the separation barrier walling off Aida Refugee Camp near Bethlehem.

Protesters make their way to the separation barrier in Nil'in.

Protesters throw stones over the separation wall at Israeli soldiers who reply with volleys of tear gas and live fire during the regular Friday protest in the village of Nil'in to demonstrate against land confiscation and the separation wall running through their land.

Residents and protesters try and escape clouds of tear gas fired by IDF soldiers in the village of Nil'in whilst demonstrating against land confiscation and the separation barrier.

The separation wall between Palestine and Israel in Abu Dis near Jerusalem.

The separation wall winds its way around Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem.

Thousands of workers from the Qalqiliya area arrive before 4am to pass through the checkpoint to go to work in Israel.

An Israeli check point at Qalqiliya. Thousands of workers from the area arrive at the checkpoint before 4am to pass through the checkpoint to go to work in Israel.

An Israeli check point at Qalqiliya. Thousands of workers from the area arrive at the checkpoint before 4am to pass through the checkpoint to go to work in Israel.

Palestinian taxis, buses and cars queue up at Qalandiya checkpoint to get through to Jerusalem to work. This process can take hours with no guarantee they will be allowed through.

The separation wall and Israeli watchtower in a residential area of the West Bank town of Dahiyat near Ramallah.

A protester flies the Palestinian flag at the start of the regular protest n the village of Nil'in to demonstrate against land confiscation and the separation wall.