Bethlehem residents vandalise Banksy graffiti

Rebecca Harrison in Bethlehem
Friday December 21, 2007
The Guardian

Bethlehem residents have painted over a satirical mural by the graffiti artist Banksy that was meant to highlight their plight.

The elusive British artist had painted six images around the town to help drum up tourism before Christmas and to illustrate the hardships faced by Palestinians in the occupied West Bank .

But the irony behind the depiction of an Israeli soldier checking a donkey's identity papers was lost on some residents, who found it offensive.

"We're humans here, not donkeys," said Nasri Canavati, a restaurateur. "This is insulting. I'm glad it was painted over."

To be called a donkey in Palestinian society is similar to being called an idiot.

Not all Bethlehem residents found the mural offensive. Fyras Twemeh, an architect, thought it was funny and made a neat political point. "It's offensive for the Israelis, not for us," he said. "It shows how much their minds are limited so they even check donkeys."

Bethlehem is encircled by military checkpoints and Israel 's defence barrier. Israeli leaders say the country needs the barrier to keep out suicide bombers, but Palestinians say it stifles their economy.

A spokeswoman for Banksy said that an American buyer had offered $150,000 (£76,000) for a piece of wall in Bethlehem bearing another of the artist's paintings. She added that the donkey mural was worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Most paintings in the Bethlehem series - including an image of a dove in a bulletproof vest - are still intact. However, black paint was daubed over one of Banksy's trademark stencilled rats, which is pictured catapulting stones at an Israeli military watchtower.

Mike Canawati, a shop owner, said: "We don't make jokes about kids who sacrifice their lives for their land. They are not rats - they are lions. I'm sure it's worth a lot, but it's not worth more than our dignity."