![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HYUXBEVYZEUHOE4YX2AEESCTOY.jpg?smart=true&auth=8590a834aa29486ed2821c908ae49a1d4e2495e7a52bb006e35829d2a5b9ff55&width=400&height=225)
Chaotic and confrontational, the images are unflinching in their treatment of the despair of the struggle and the downtrodden reality of the Palestinian plight.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3LPIVESESXSELSXZJZJKCN7O4E.jpg?smart=true&auth=2374d019108a2203e8591ad2d6223321d7d04c2836923f0754cefe84f063b096&width=400&height=225)
A child stands staring at the wall where a ladder with scrambled steps blocks his way. His features are slumped in despair. The message from this simple sketch is clear: dreams don’t flourish here, the path ahead is barred.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IZENF6HVHHDHT3PS3VSANOYIAM.jpg?smart=true&auth=aaf6c19d865e87061dc9d2af62c3aae878aa107ec74aaa1db186cb3b7b09abe2&width=400&height=225)
Palestinians are “oppressed by another oppressed people,” Sabaaneh says. The difference is “we have no choice”.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJFVKHWILMWAEHX3HQCCEWOVDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4e70cb36432939bb8f12e28874f738a4ebc216eb1e55388f74ed182a500856a7&width=400&height=225)
<p>The First Intifada: Sabaaneh's take on Picasso's Guernica</p>
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JH4TZ5G6KK3ULFT7VTWB7SICY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca425ade2fc18f238508b1cf748374d038a9751af215f593ec54b85d5a84b7fb&width=400&height=225)
<p>Freedom of expression as understood by religions and governments p88</p>
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3PUOB356VUMXB2XAGXHTYB346M.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8d63a8c8e5c5770e2b4b22102532bd0ca70afd1847d48fbd597f3b29f997cc5&width=400&height=225)
A page from Mohammad Sabaaneh's book.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R35YRYGGOR34FDAACH4F67474Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=c7e80f7df19763a3e796bdd71b30421d4a865fd3d39c105a6c5a3e4ceb2dbedd&width=400&height=225)
This time it’s an infant surrounded by soldiers and tanks, their gun barrels inches from his face – the Palestinian baby born into a world of perpetual conflict.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XKHCVPKBVOUM6N3ALTS2TKQ5YM.jpg?smart=true&auth=09b6d1d7da5070543f653c64abe6f028ed4f874f498ab732ecba44f1c0f65308&width=400&height=225)
A city complete with mosques, schools, shops and houses is enclosed within cell walls, the barred window allowing a glimpse of light from the world outside.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/APIMZXCAGY64P72VXJNQ6XKRPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e06ddcb359e8c3e81c06cb51876aab28ae2bf65e5528930e33c177fc6022eaec&width=400&height=225)
Sabaaneh’s new book 'Palestine in Black and White' is a collection of his cartoons conceived during the five torturous months he spent as a political prisoner in an Israeli jail in 2013
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JBSAM7WXUKWBXZDTW5GAPYSC7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=763eed2fac43f5659fe3b9151fca5e492200ba803e84ec46b12be6b3ef32c794&width=400&height=225)
Shut in a tiny windowless cell under solitary confinement for several weeks, he clung to his sense of self by sketching in thin air before stealing a piece of paper from his guard and cramming as many illustrations as he could onto the page.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OVX33RUFURMP7MMI2TNYLA77VU.jpg?smart=true&auth=3c0410ac1243334d184bf11f344f2dfc689c4419e788c7c8190a8fe64c4db371&width=400&height=225)
These sketches, which form the final chapter of his book, are among the most powerful portraits he paints – raw, gut-wrenching visualisations that claw at the senses with their depiction of families torn apart, prisoners crushed by injustice and despair that life outside is simply another version of the prison.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XGTC3FLIUW5AZKX4AEYDWSP324.jpg?smart=true&auth=ce4d4ce5bca4dbfe74d4f3304e9a2b4e1d7f96b6e29353f797e3bae463068037&width=400&height=225)
These pictures aren’t snapshots of history, they represent daily life for Palestinians, Sabaaneh told listeners during a recent publicity tour in the United Kingdom
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HYUXBEVYZEUHOE4YX2AEESCTOY.jpg?smart=true&auth=8590a834aa29486ed2821c908ae49a1d4e2495e7a52bb006e35829d2a5b9ff55&width=400&height=225)
Chaotic and confrontational, the images are unflinching in their treatment of the despair of the struggle and the downtrodden reality of the Palestinian plight.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3LPIVESESXSELSXZJZJKCN7O4E.jpg?smart=true&auth=2374d019108a2203e8591ad2d6223321d7d04c2836923f0754cefe84f063b096&width=400&height=225)
A child stands staring at the wall where a ladder with scrambled steps blocks his way. His features are slumped in despair. The message from this simple sketch is clear: dreams don’t flourish here, the path ahead is barred.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IZENF6HVHHDHT3PS3VSANOYIAM.jpg?smart=true&auth=aaf6c19d865e87061dc9d2af62c3aae878aa107ec74aaa1db186cb3b7b09abe2&width=400&height=225)
Palestinians are “oppressed by another oppressed people,” Sabaaneh says. The difference is “we have no choice”.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJFVKHWILMWAEHX3HQCCEWOVDA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4e70cb36432939bb8f12e28874f738a4ebc216eb1e55388f74ed182a500856a7&width=400&height=225)
<p>The First Intifada: Sabaaneh's take on Picasso's Guernica</p>
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JH4TZ5G6KK3ULFT7VTWB7SICY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca425ade2fc18f238508b1cf748374d038a9751af215f593ec54b85d5a84b7fb&width=400&height=225)
<p>Freedom of expression as understood by religions and governments p88</p>
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3PUOB356VUMXB2XAGXHTYB346M.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8d63a8c8e5c5770e2b4b22102532bd0ca70afd1847d48fbd597f3b29f997cc5&width=400&height=225)
A page from Mohammad Sabaaneh's book.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R35YRYGGOR34FDAACH4F67474Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=c7e80f7df19763a3e796bdd71b30421d4a865fd3d39c105a6c5a3e4ceb2dbedd&width=400&height=225)
This time it’s an infant surrounded by soldiers and tanks, their gun barrels inches from his face – the Palestinian baby born into a world of perpetual conflict.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XKHCVPKBVOUM6N3ALTS2TKQ5YM.jpg?smart=true&auth=09b6d1d7da5070543f653c64abe6f028ed4f874f498ab732ecba44f1c0f65308&width=400&height=225)
A city complete with mosques, schools, shops and houses is enclosed within cell walls, the barred window allowing a glimpse of light from the world outside.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/APIMZXCAGY64P72VXJNQ6XKRPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e06ddcb359e8c3e81c06cb51876aab28ae2bf65e5528930e33c177fc6022eaec&width=400&height=225)
Sabaaneh’s new book 'Palestine in Black and White' is a collection of his cartoons conceived during the five torturous months he spent as a political prisoner in an Israeli jail in 2013
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JBSAM7WXUKWBXZDTW5GAPYSC7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=763eed2fac43f5659fe3b9151fca5e492200ba803e84ec46b12be6b3ef32c794&width=400&height=225)
Shut in a tiny windowless cell under solitary confinement for several weeks, he clung to his sense of self by sketching in thin air before stealing a piece of paper from his guard and cramming as many illustrations as he could onto the page.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OVX33RUFURMP7MMI2TNYLA77VU.jpg?smart=true&auth=3c0410ac1243334d184bf11f344f2dfc689c4419e788c7c8190a8fe64c4db371&width=400&height=225)
These sketches, which form the final chapter of his book, are among the most powerful portraits he paints – raw, gut-wrenching visualisations that claw at the senses with their depiction of families torn apart, prisoners crushed by injustice and despair that life outside is simply another version of the prison.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XGTC3FLIUW5AZKX4AEYDWSP324.jpg?smart=true&auth=ce4d4ce5bca4dbfe74d4f3304e9a2b4e1d7f96b6e29353f797e3bae463068037&width=400&height=225)
These pictures aren’t snapshots of history, they represent daily life for Palestinians, Sabaaneh told listeners during a recent publicity tour in the United Kingdom
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HYUXBEVYZEUHOE4YX2AEESCTOY.jpg?smart=true&auth=8590a834aa29486ed2821c908ae49a1d4e2495e7a52bb006e35829d2a5b9ff55&width=400&height=225)
Chaotic and confrontational, the images are unflinching in their treatment of the despair of the struggle and the downtrodden reality of the Palestinian plight.
Drawing from life’s struggles in Palestine: Mohammad Sabaaneh's political cartoons
Palestinian cartoonist Mohammad Sabaaneh talks to 'The National' about his hard-hitting illustrations, life in prison and why martyrs shouldn’t be portrayed as superheroes
Olivia Cuthbert
28 August, 2018
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic