In the Palestinian village of Bilin, residents have taken used tear gas grenades and transformed them into plant pots to create a garden. The garden was created as a tribute to honor a man who died during a protest against the West Bank separation barrier. In this gallery of photos taken by Palestinian photographer Majdi Muhammed, the unusual garden becomes a symbol of life defying tragedy.
Bilin has become a central focus of Palestinian protests against Israeli policies in the West Bank, and was the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary “Five Broken Cameras”. The daily conflicts are ongoing as Palestinians say they struggle to regain land that is cut-off by the barrier; Israel says the wall is needed to keep potential Palestinian attackers out.
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The images were published by Associated Press with the following text: “The Bilin garden commemorates Bassem Abu Rahmah, a protest leader who was killed in 2009 when a tear gas grenade struck him in the chest during a demonstration.” The garden certainly has a politically motivated message, but the green space has also become a symbol of the ongoing battles. The living shrine is watered by Abu Rahmah’s mother, Sabiha Abu Rahmah.
Images courtesy of AP photographer Majdi Muhammed
