Newton Library photo exhibit of Palestinians draws criticism

Local News

“The Ongoing and Relentless Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe from 1948 to the Present” will be at the Newton Free Library. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller called it “hurtful and divisive.”

A new exhibit at the Newton Public Library — which the mayor called “hurtful and divisive” — is causing a stir in the Boston suburb, which has a large Jewish population.

“The Ongoing and Relentless Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe from 1948 to Today” is a series of photographs taken by Skip Schiel in 2018 and 2019. Schiel said his work has covered the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for more than two decades.

The exhibit, which will be on display at the Newton Free Library until May 30, features photos from his travels to Israel and Palestine, where he captured and learned the stories of people he called “survivors of the Nakba “.

Nakba and the exhibition

Nakba, which translates to “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli War, which resulted in the permanent displacement of more than half of all Palestinians after Israel launched an offensive, according to the United Nations.

The UN also said the conflict intensified in the years leading up to the war due to an increase in Jewish migration to the region, sparked by the persecution of Jewish people in Europe.

“75 years later, despite countless UN resolutions, Palestinian rights continue to be violated,” says the UN. “Today, Palestinians continue to be dispossessed and displaced by Israeli settlements, evictions, land confiscation and home demolitions. »

Schiel said that after taking photos and interviewing “survivors” who lived during the Nakba and sometimes their descendants, he would cross the Green Line to find their former homes. The paired photos constitute his exhibition.

“Media attention on the region in general has been so focused on Israeli views, and we are seeing it now with Gaza, that since the beginning of my 21 years of effort, I have tried not to present a balance in my shows, but to rebalance,” Schiel said.

Schiel applied for the exhibition at the library in April 2023 and was accepted in July, months before the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.

Newton mayor says exposure is concerning

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in a statement that she was “deeply concerned” about the exposure. She said the title itself could be considered “one-sided”, “offensive”, “wrong” and “reprehensible”.

But, in keeping with the Library’s Bill of Rights and freedom of speech, Fuller said she supports the exhibit.

“I applaud the Newton Free Library’s efforts to be a model for how a community library can help residents learn about deeply painful and controversial topics,” Fuller wrote. “Rather than cancel or postpone this art exhibition, the Library is helping us learn, engage, think critically, and converse in a civilized manner. »

Reception and accompanying exhibition “Postcards”

Newton Free Library Director Jill Mercurio said in a statement that the exhibit does not represent the views of the library. She also wrote that an exhibition titled “Postcards” – colorful drawings made by Tel Aviv artist Zeev Engelmayer since October 7 – would be presented in another gallery.

“Now more than ever, the Library is committed to helping visitors learn about nuanced, complex, and controversial topics,” Mercurio wrote.

The library also shared a list of resources focused on understanding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“In these postcards, even though the subject matter is heartbreaking – children being held hostage or returning home to their parents, civilians with their arms raised at gunpoint – I find this activity calming,” Engelmayer said in a press release published on the library’s website. “It’s about thinking about it and being in the situation, but in a different way than watching the news all day.”

Schiel said he first heard about the “postcards” last week.

“It’s good because there’s definitely a very strong counterpoint to the point of view that I’m presenting,” he said of the other exhibit.

The reception for “The Ongoing and Relentless Nakba” will be held Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There is no reception for “Postcards”.

Counter-protesters and support for the library exhibition

Attorney Douglas Hauer, a Newton resident who describes himself as an Israeli American, said he expects about 50 to 75 people to protest the reception Thursday night. He said “civilized” protesters would silently hold pro-Israel signs in front of the library.

“We all appreciate and recognize that Mr. Shiel has a First Amendment right to express himself and convey his political views, but we certainly also have a First Amendment right to correct asymmetrical inaccuracies in his stories,” he said. Hauer said.

Hauer said the exhibit lacked sensitivity in its timing, its narrative was inaccurate and it appeared targeted toward Newton’s large Jewish and Israeli populations. He compared the exhibit’s location in Newton to the Skokie affair.

“Mr. Shiel is fully aware that many Jews and Israelis live in Newton. He wants to be as provocative as possible,” Hauer said. “There is a very strong interest in provoking a crisis and hurting people.”

Hauer, a Zionist, also said that the exhibition itself leaves out the plight of the Jewish people who have nowhere to go. He said his in-laws were refugees from Europe.

“The creation of the State of Israel is not about Jewish emigration to Palestine,” he said. “This is a forced rescue, an urgent rescue of Jews in a historic crisis.”

Schiel told Boston.com that he chose the Newton Free Library for “its beautiful exhibition space” and for its high visibility. He said the exhibit would “attract a lot of attention.”

Schiel said he also works closely with Jewish Voice for Peace Boston, which shared information about the reception.

“They’re really at the forefront of efforts to help with preparedness, so no, I’m not alone,” he said. “If that were the case, of course it would be total misery.”