Checkpoint 300
Bethlehem, West Bank
Bethlehem, West Bank
Checkpoint 300 is a site-specific interactive installation made
and performed within the main turnstile at terminal Checkpoint 300 in
Bethlehem. The crossing in its current format was established in 2005 as part
of Israel’s separation wall and thousands of Palestinians from the southern
occupied West Bank must cross this barrier to work in occupied East Jerusalem.
Turnstiles represent an important component in the management of people’s
movement through Checkpoint 300, made from steel arms that are 55 cm long; that
is, about 20–25 cm shorter than the standard turnstile arms commonly used in
Israel. The Israeli Ministry of Defence asked the manufacturer to reduce the
length of the arms so that they can easily press against the body of
Palestinian commuters, ensuring that nothing is hidden under their clothes
(Weizman, 2007). What this means to the people passing through is that parents
are separated from their children and workers from their equipment.
This fieldwork is focused on one of the busiest checkpoints in the West Bank, Checkpoint 300 where between 4,000 to 6,000 workers cross daily between 4 am to 7 am to reach their places of employment in East Jerusalem and Israel. It can take up to three hours to cross the checkpoint during the rush hour.
A small camera rig was made and installed within a turnstile on the Bethlehem side to record the daily movement of Palestinians crossing the border for work. This footage was then projected onto the ground of the exact site, for the same commuters to see on their return that evening. The footage is activated as the turnstile is pushed, framing it as a spatial political technology aimed at controlling the movement of Palestinians.
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This fieldwork is focused on one of the busiest checkpoints in the West Bank, Checkpoint 300 where between 4,000 to 6,000 workers cross daily between 4 am to 7 am to reach their places of employment in East Jerusalem and Israel. It can take up to three hours to cross the checkpoint during the rush hour.
A small camera rig was made and installed within a turnstile on the Bethlehem side to record the daily movement of Palestinians crossing the border for work. This footage was then projected onto the ground of the exact site, for the same commuters to see on their return that evening. The footage is activated as the turnstile is pushed, framing it as a spatial political technology aimed at controlling the movement of Palestinians.
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Documentation of Checkpoint 300 © Julie Marsh