Commemorative posters in Palestine

In Palestine, commemorative posters or martyr posters are a common way to memorialize martyrs (Shahid, Arabic: شهيد), which includes anybody who was killed by the Israeli military, regardless of whether or not they had been participating in active resistance or a member of a militant group.

While posters have historically been a common medium in Palestinian art, the practice of using posters in commemoration started in PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization)-sponsored posters during the 1960’s and 1970’s. This practice became especially popular during the Second Intifada, with digitally designed posters printed en-masse.

Posters are usually sponsored and published by different Palestinian political organizations. Major political groups in Palestine use posters to commemorate their leaders and members who have been killed in active struggle against Israeli forces, as well as Palestinian national figures. However, political groups will also posthumously claim and associate themselves with civilians, even if the martyr was never politically active, especially in the case of young children. Because of this, some Palestinians view martyr posters as mostly a political and publicity tool for various political organizations.

Historical background
Posters have been a defining feature in Palestinian visual culture since British Mandate rule (1920-1948). Initially, posters were made mostly for marketing, however, beginning in the 1930’s, posters were used to advocate for Palestinian statehood. The use of posters as an art form declined during and after the Nakba, which was the displacement and expulsion of Palestinians after the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. But by the 1970's, Palestinian poster-making had undergone a resurgence because of commissions from the PLO, which was then in exile in Beirut. One common theme of Palestinian posters during this period was as a way to commemorate martyrs, which includes Palestinian national heroes, militant fighters, and civilians that have been killed by the Israeli military.

The use of posters to commemorate martyrs became very widespread during the Second Intifada, beginning in late 2000, and especially during and after the 2002 Battle of Jenin. One reason for this was a shift towards emphasis on memorializing martyrs as a way to express Palestinian nationalism and resistance against Israel.

Visual details
Any Palestinian, including women and children, can be memorialized with a poster. Commemorative posters are centered around a photograph of the martyr, made to look like a hero. Usually, it is a personal photograph, but posed photographs of the martyr holding guns are also common. The photograph is usually superimposed onto background scenery. Posters also can contain Palestinian national symbols, such as the flag and map of Palestine, religious sites like the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque, verses from the Qur’an, and symbols of various Palestinian political groups.

Placement of posters
Posters are mass printed and displayed prominently in private residences, as well as in public. In public, posters are often placed on walls, in shops and restaurants, on light poles, and can be shown on TV, turning martyrs into popular celebrities and heroic symbols of Palestinian nationalism. However, personal details are usually omitted from posters and popular memory, limited mostly to the martyr’s name, and the time and place of their killing.

Political purpose of posters
In Palestine, different political organizations claim martyrs and mainly use posters as symbolism in politically affiliated artistic expression. These posters often contain pictures of weapons along with political iconography, which can indicate the person’s political allegiance. The production of different martyr posters by other political groups gives a different political group the space to express their ideologies to the public. These organizations aim to “impose” martyrdom on Palestinian society, and in doing so, also highlight their political radicalism among Palestinians. Both moderate movements of more “legal political basis” and militant groups are fascinated by this method of political and visual expression.

These posters not only memorialize individuals, they also participate in ongoing nationalism and martyrdom. The symbolic elements of the posters reflect different ideologies of different political groups, showing deeper meaning than tributes or typical propaganda uses, which is reflected through personal identity, common history, and memory.