“We live on the same land. We drink the same water in Ramallah or Tel Aviv. We pray to the same God in Netanya or Jenin. Our only chance is to share this land - not necessarily as friends, but no longer as enemies. Simply, like two countries, side by side, caring for a better future for our children." Along the separation wall, in those places where Israel and Palestine unite into one obscure line - unfamiliar faces are revealed. These encounters raise inevitable questions about belonging, loss, death, longing, identity, and hope. The project began following an intriguing encounter with young Palestinians who fled Gaza, hoping for a better life. From that moment on, I felt there was no way back. The heart and mind did not cease to deal with the idea of the conflict. As an Israeli Jew, who has lived this reality of the region every day since I was born, exploring both sides of the conflict is inevitable. A kind of journey into the past, back to the ramified and sometimes distorted history. This story seems to have no end, but there is an inner fire that pushes me forward to continue exploring. Two peoples - one land, each one calls it by a different name. What unites them all, is the longing for that sacred Land. The one for which one pays in blood. The transition from one side to the other is accompanied by uncertainty - Through checkpoints, high walls, breaches, and areas defined as a, b, c - I find myself wondering, is this Israel or Palestine? Throughout the project, I try to connect to my roots and those around me. I am interested in the difference in cultures, opinions, languages, traditions, and similarities while trying to evoke something real from life itself, from the moments we are present, loving, and compassionate. Those moments we could easily experience together, Israelis and Palestinians. The photographs Induce silence - perhaps imaginary, perhaps real. The silence in front of the internal chaos that takes place in this restless reality.

Ofir Berman is an Israeli documentary photographer and visual storyteller whose work focuses on social and cultural issues. Her work gives an intimate view of people living within the fringes of society and aims to capture the resilience and the authentic spirit in the lives of the subjects. In 2020 she finished her studies at the TAI School of Arts in Madrid and continued working on personal projects. She has been documenting Gaza refugees with the intention of provoking discourse and a new vision of Palestinian-Israeli relations through photography, media, and a new perception of interpersonal communication. In 2021 she was chosen for the 30 under 30 women photographers by Artpil and was nominated for the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award. She is a Women Photograph Mentee and member (2022) and recently was shortlisted for the IWPA Award and was the winner of the Imago Lisboa Portfolio Review.