Visual Testimony Under Occupation: Aesthetic and Ethical Dimensions of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Rula Halawani’s "Negative Incursion"

Abstract

This article analyzes Rula Halawani’s photo series "Negative Incursion" using the framework suggested by Terry Barrett for critiquing photography, including description, interpretation, and moral analysis. The analysis highlights photography’s dual nature—documentary evidence as well as a socio-political tool—specifically applied here in the context of Palestinian life under occupation. Halawani’s stark black-and-white photos, characterized by visual reversal, provoke viewers to consider how widespread military occupation has influenced everyday life for regular citizens.  According to Barrett’s model, analysis begins with a close visual reading of the images, highlighting their formal and aesthetic details. In the interpretation, Halawani’s inversion method is presented as a conscious reversal of standard war imagery, challenging viewers to re-examine prevailing war narratives. Lastly, the ethical aspect examines how, with no graphic violence depicted in these photos, the viewer’s reaction is redirected from shock towards contemplation, posing a greater political understanding within the visual portrayal.