'Om (Mother) - 'Om (Mother) is a collaborative photography project by Barbara Debeuckelaere (BE) and all the women of eight families from Tel Rumeida in Hebron, Palestine. Hebron is, along with Jerusalem, the only place in the West Bank where radical Israeli settlers live in the heart of a Palestinian city and is home to several sites sacred to Jews and Arabs. The tangle of small, heavily guarded settlements cuts the historic neighborhoods into small checkpoint-equipped sectors, severely restricting the freedom of movement of Palestinian residents. Given that only two percent of the population of the Old City is Israeli, protected by more than twice as many soldiers, tensions in this divided society are steadily escalating.
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\nIn addition to the ongoing conflict and illegal occupation, Palestinians are subject to constant surveillance and face the immediate threat of violent harassment by their settler neighbors, which they do with impunity. While both men and women suffer from this situation, women are rarely heard or seen, as they mostly stay at home, fearing for their safety and that of their children. As a result, reports on the conflict typically show Palestinian men defending themselves or experiencing violence.
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\nIn 'Om (Mother) , Palestinian women from Tel Rumeida assert their autonomy by manipulating the camera themselves to document their lives, their homes, and their immediate surroundings. The camera is used to show their perseverance and expose the ambiguity of home. By showing the world their determination to continue their daily lives under occupation, these women participate in the ultimate act of resistance.
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