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Palestinian spray-paints graffiti message on the side of the separation fence near Ramallah on Tuesday. (AP)_
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Last update - 23:53 18/12/2007
Falafel recipe painted on West Bank fence as part of protest
By Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press
Tags: West Bank, falafel 

"For the rest of the recipe, turn over the wall," reads a falafel recipe spray-painted on Israel's imposing West Bank separation fence Tuesday, in a lighthearted but serious protest against the hardships it causes Palestinians.

A Dutch group called Sendamessage collects money over the Internet for the project - painting messages on the barrier Israel is building along the West Bank. The barrier, made up of concrete walls, barbed wire, trenches and electronic sensors, is meant to keep Palestinian suicide bombers and other attackers out of Israel, but Palestinians charge it juts into their land and cuts many people off from their fields and services.

The idea evolved during two workshops by advertising creatives from the Palo-Dutch Concept Factory from the Palo-Dutch Concept Factory, who had come to Ramallah to coach young Palestinians in creative campaigning and public relations.
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The project aims to publicize the difficulties while raising money for social projects in the West Bank. For a $43 contribution, a Palestinian volunteer will paint a message on the wall - anything from a political statement to marriage proposal. However, hate messages against Israelis or Palestinians are forbidden.

"We've received dozens of orders," the site's operator and concept designer, Justus van Oel, says. One woman, van Oel recalls, left a message for Tareq - a long-lost ex-boyfriend. Another couple wanted their wedding date on the wall.

To ensure no hateful content ends up on the wall, van Oel reviews all slogans. "Payment is in advance and defamers get no refunds," van Oel says. "I'm hoping it'll keep them away."

"It's not about changing the wall, it's about spreading the news ... that [the separation fence] is in our cities, our towns and our villages," explained the project's local coordinator, Faris Arouri.

It wasn't easy for Yousef Nijim, 24, to paint the first part of the felafel recipe and 13 other messages in various languages on the Palestinian side of the wall on Tuesday.

Israel Defense Forces helicopters could be heard flying by, and a stiff wind blew dust and paint in all directions. Leaning against the eight-meter-high concrete wall, Arouri called out the spelling of the words to the painter, Nijim. Several times they failed and had to start over. After Nijim struggled mightily with a Hebrew word, other volunteers joked that next time, he should bring some Wite-Out.

Arouri said a small portion of the money raised through the Web site goes to administrative costs, while most goes to charities in and around Ramallah, including building a children's garden, a youth cinema and a basketball court.

"I think it's important for Palestinians to see that people from around the world are supporting their cause," said Nabil Kukali, an expert on Palestinian opinion on Israel. "They are happy to see this type of organization standing with them and understanding their suffering."


Related articles:
  • Red Cross: Israel worsening Palestinian humanitarian crisis
  • UN: West Bank fence severs Palestinans farmers from fields
  • UN: Separation fence will sever Jerusalem from West Bank
  • Court orders state to alter West Bank separation fence route at Bil'in
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      1.   Fence built one suicide bombing at a time. 21:45  |  Stephen in New York 18/12/07
      2.   That recipe is so good and tasty! Hummus too! 21:50  |  French Arab 18/12/07
      3.   who is in and who is out? 21:52  |  Ethan 18/12/07
      4.   names on the wall 22:10  |  rehovot 18/12/07
      5.   Recipe for wall was suicide bombers targetting Israeli civillians 22:12  |  PETER SM 18/12/07
      6.   What are they protesting against? 22:18  |  Jy praat twak 18/12/07
      7.   To the Dutch contributors 22:42  |  dovale 18/12/07
      8.   Nationality 22:45  |  Mica 18/12/07
      9.   the fence 22:49  |  bytheway 18/12/07
      10.   Does anybody have the left out URL? 23:00  |  Frantic 18/12/07
      11.   Fence an historical absurdity 23:05  |  Morris Valentine 18/12/07
      12.   #7 23:07  |  gabe 18/12/07
      13.   The Dutch point their fingers at the world, never inwards 23:09  |  Tom Smitsloo 18/12/07
      14.   Someone should pay them to write "Na Nach Nachman Maoman!" 23:19  |  Sam 18/12/07
      15.   Peter MS Build it in Israel then, Israel pre-67 23:21  |  David 18/12/07
      16.   bytheway#9 23:30  |  mariapalestina 18/12/07
      17.   To Gabe #12 23:47  |  dovale 18/12/07
      18.   to David#15 From unknown country 00:03  |  Ilya 19/12/07
      19.   To: Tom Smitsloo Cape Town 00:12  |  Shoshana Thomasson 19/12/07
      20.   I am here.. who is looking? 00:15  |  Tareq 19/12/07
      21.   # 1 and Flawed Logic 00:24  |  Myles 19/12/07
      22.   $7.5 billion usd 00:29  |  noah 19/12/07
      23.   To: There was no other way but building the fence 00:36  |  Shoshana Thomasson 19/12/07
      24.   Ilya Thieves always have an excuse for stealing 00:40  |  Samantha 19/12/07
      25.   made for 00:49  |  losman 19/12/07
      26.   Let then write whatever they want,at least Israel will be safer 01:03  |  McQueen 19/12/07
      27.   Seems an action by smart Palestinians 01:08  |  Ms. Peter 19/12/07
      28.   #11, Morris, "Fences absurd....." 01:14  |  Jabotinsky 19/12/07
      29.   #12 01:15  |  Gili 19/12/07
      30.   Peter SM and pathetic arguments 01:24  |  Truths 19/12/07
      31.   Morris Valentine, pretty dumb examples 01:25  |  Jake 19/12/07
      32.   Question is NOT that there is wall, but WHERE it is... 02:02  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 19/12/07
      33.   israel`s lies 02:07  |  donnie 19/12/07
      34.   #11 02:19  |  Moshe 19/12/07
      35.   #16 02:28  |  Moshe 19/12/07
      36.   To Jake (#21) 03:01  |  Morris Valentine 19/12/07
      37.   Peaceful resistance 03:16  |  Judith 19/12/07
      38.   To Tess (#25) 04:37  |  Morris Valentine 19/12/07
      39.   To Jabotinsky (#11) 04:39  |  Morris Valentine 19/12/07
      40.   To Moshe (#27) 04:49  |  Morris Valentine 19/12/07
      41.   Tess 14:59  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 19/12/07
      42.   one thing is certain idiots of every type abound 15:03  |  victor hardman 19/12/07
      43.   #33 donnie states you can steal rain ? 15:05  |  victor hardman 19/12/07
      44.   so the wall is there to keep out suicide bombers? 15:20  |  Tristan 19/12/07
      45.   The issue therefore is not that the wall exists, but that it is b 16:00  |  EA 19/12/07
      46.   www.sendamessage.nl 16:23  |  Walter Hurt 19/12/07
      47.   TO DAVID #15 17:20  |  Steve Beikirch 19/12/07
      48.   EA truce on suicide bombings: NOT TRUE 18:29  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 19/12/07
      49.   To Victor Hardman Belfast 18:34  |  Shoshana Thomasson 19/12/07
      50.   I`d appreciate the recipe that was painted. 22:23  |  Dorothy 19/12/07
      51.   Protest all you want. 23:31  |  Mark 19/12/07
      52.   Protest all you want. 23:32  |  Mark 19/12/07
      53.   A couple of WRONG ideas 00:25  |  Scharker Yid 20/12/07
      54.   #7 Dovale 00:38  |  Ernst 20/12/07
      55.   Evil Apartheid Wall Around Netherlands Must Fall 02:09  |  Efox 20/12/07
      56.   I love it 02:48  |  Mark Lincoln 20/12/07
      57.   Ramallah style falafel 03:32  |  Aharon 20/12/07
      58.   Tristian - Bullshit 03:49  |  Mark Lincoln 20/12/07
      59.   #52, Mark, try this instead.... 04:18  |  Silvienne 20/12/07
      60.   Scoop Rahael Ray - Give Us the Felafel Recipe! 04:28  |  MIKE 20/12/07
      61.   to Samantha#24 05:29  |  Ilya 20/12/07
      62.   You Lose Wars, You Lose Territory - Lesson - Dont Start Wars 05:55  |  J 20/12/07
      63.   "Barrier", just like the Berlin Barrier 05:56  |  peacelover 20/12/07
      64.   GOY APARTHEID WALL SIGN OF THE FUTURE 06:30  |  COLIN 20/12/07
      65.   i think i just might; i`ve got a few lines... 06:51  |  eric 20/12/07
      66.   falafel recipe painted on west bank fence 07:25  |  margaret setter 20/12/07
      67.   TRUTHS the fence was never claimed to be the border.!! 07:54  |  PETER SM 20/12/07
      68.   Funny that wall... 08:01  |  Colin Wright 20/12/07
      69.   You deleted my Israeli falafel recipe 09:26  |  Clickfool 20/12/07
      70.   For Efox on Apartheid Walls # 55 09:48  |  Clickfool 20/12/07
      71.   re: Clickfool 10:09  |  Efox 20/12/07
      72.   the Wall Is A Must 10:26  |  fadi 20/12/07
      73.   Self inflicted? Arctic Noah 10:52  |  Palestinian Brit 20/12/07
      74.   Clickfool - a definition of evil 11:22  |  Shoshana Thomasson 20/12/07
      75.   Peter in Melbourne... 13:10  |  Palestinian Brit 20/12/07
      76.   # 68 COLIN WRIGHT 13:26  |  The Teacher/Instruct 20/12/07
      77.   To Efox (#71) 21:21  |  Morris Valentine 20/12/07
      78.   re: Morris Valentine 02:01  |  Efox 25/12/07
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