“Contradiction in Ramallah.”

Irrationality as a way to escape. 
Despite the overwhelming way  life is controlled here (by the Israelis mostly) there are many irrationalities. Things that do not match. Families have their baby born in another country if possible. So in one family the parents and children can have different passports and ID’s from each other with different limitations and privileges, to mention one. Although the Palestine Territories is not (yet) an official country, a lot of the land is privately owned. That makes some people very rich as the square meter price of the ground is very high. 
The currency is the Israeli shekel (again another way of the Israeli to keep control) There are banks that give loans so people can buy large cars. A bit of playfully working around the impossibility and the stressfulness of the situation can give life extra energy. In the quiet times

Ramallah -  Most Cars in Ramallah have Palestine number plates. And there are many. Huge cars as well. 4x4 and American pickup trucks. Get a loan at the bank and you can…
Lino Hellings – Ramallah Lab

Ramallah -  Anarchy symbol along with a graffiti opposing police power saying “think“.. Israeli Police or Palestinian Police?…
Aya Tahhan – Ramallah Lab

A Palestinian supermarket with a poster of a solidarity concert and a "Palestinian & Proud" sticker along with an ice cream freezer full of Israeli products.…
Aya Tahhan – Ramallah Lab

High-rise building in the "Financial District" of Ramallah. It is in Post Oslo Agreement (1993) that Ramallah witnessed its 3rd boom of construction. Yet, a 4th construction came about in…
Khaldun Bshara – Ramallah Lab

Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. It's one of the most important cities in Palestine and it's also very important city for the religious in the whole word. These boards…
Rania Aldjejab – Ramallah Lab

It is a new trend (I would say after year 2000) to see olive trees--some are more than 2000 years old and hence known as Roman olive trees--decorating roundabouts of…
Khaldun Bshara – Ramallah Lab

On the sidewalk, paintings depicting Fast and Furious and an orientalist depiction of Harim al Sultan towards the end of the Ottoman Empire. In Ramallah, contrasting issues come together. Sacred…
Khaldun Bshara – Ramallah Lab

Out of this money machine you get Israeli shekels because that is the official currency here. That puts Israel in a position to control the economy here as they give…
Lino Hellings – Ramallah Lab

We are entering the financial district (in development). There are little houses with armed Palestinian guards around. I saw different sorts of armed forces. The police, the army but also…
Lino Hellings – Ramallah Lab

at the Nations' public park in Ramallah, states representatives in Ramallah were given a spot to put an art work that represents the country. India chose to install Ghandi. Ghandi…
Khaldun Bshara – Ramallah Lab

If you find this sticker on a storefront in the city, then this store does not sell goods manufactured in illegal Israeli Settlements in the West Bank. …
Lana Judeh – Ramallah Lab

Here is part of the RIWAQ team that participated in PAPA Lab Ramallah the past two weeks. We share an interest in how people live their lives in the public…
Lino Hellings – Ramallah Lab

Another cliche image for a person who only knows Ramallah from TV is the image of buildings shot into pieces.  However these heaps of  rubble are put here…
Lino Hellings – Ramallah Lab

A poster, close to Ramallah Municipal park, calls for adaptation of legislation for gender equal and minimum wage. Wages in Palestine are market-driven (supply and demand). The minimum wage which…
Khaldun Bshara – Ramallah Lab

CHI (beauty care brand) publicity reads: “Do you [women] know that miss  universe get selected by a Palestinian referee.“ to rephrase: If the referee is Palestinian, and…
Khaldun Bshara – Ramallah Lab

A company advertising a car as a prize for costumers. The number of cars have more than tripled in the city in the past few years. New car dealerships have…
Fida Touma – Ramallah Lab

old plastic bag fly with the wind on the form a duck .... plane trying to climb to the top through the wind to be in another place, and to see…
Awatef Romeya – Ramallah Lab

The villas of Ramallah, which were built in the first half of the 20th century in the outskirts of the town back then, are now located in the heart of…
Lana Judeh – Ramallah Lab

IT shop-sign at al Am’ari refugee camp. When mobility is constrained, the virtual life takes a life of its own.…
Khaldun Bshara – Ramallah Lab

Despite the overwhelming ways, life is controlled here (by the Israelis mostly) there are many irrationalities. Things that do not match. Families have a small child born in another country…
Lino Hellings – Ramallah Lab

A poster in the streets of Ramallah encouraging gender equality in the Palestinian Curriculum hung under a no entry sign."it does not matter whether you are a boy or…
Aya Tahhan – Ramallah Lab

As Palestinians suffer from stripping their freedom of movement; whether abroad or even between Palestinian cities, towns & villages, this model of an airplane would be the closest of that…
Aya Tahhan – Ramallah Lab

A Post box from the British Mandate period at al Manarah Square. The square emerged in 1935 when the British installed an electricity panel for the twin cities, Ramallah and…
Lana Judeh – Ramallah Lab