The West Bank

Growing up in London, I believe that the mainstream Western media often tries to influence people in ways of thinking that align with political standing and policy of their respective countries. This is not something that most people like to hear however, in my experience when talking about the Middle East and more specifically Palestine, the reactions from people I have spoken to are often based on assumptions rather than lived experience. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to go to the West Bank and it was then that I thought about ways I could challenge these assumptions.

Coming from a mixed heritage, half of which is Jewish, I wanted to challenge myself and experience the West Bank with an open mind. To meet people that I knew nothing about but had often been told by the news and others who felt like they were in the know that they were to be feared.

I witnessed for myself their lives within the constraints of a political regime where their freedom to travel and funding for education is severely restricted whilst also being under constant threat of military engagement.

I hope my images reflect my experience there and show the reality that humanity’s youth is often manipulated and constrained by its leaders both mentally and physically , but that love, freedom and friendship come intrinsically before hatred and fear.

From the outside places can seem scary if you don't know them but I believe when you are living anywhere your day to day becomes the same on a deeper human level, as millions of others around the world. We want to hang out with our friends, be proud of our achievements and enjoy as much as we can what life offers us. I hope these images show that we all share much more than we know.