Threads of Palestine’s past and present

Stitched by Palestinian women in the occupied Palestinian territories and in refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon, the Palestinian History Tapestry is likely the largest collection of illustrative panels which tell the story of the land and people of Palestine through the ages using traditional Palestinian embroidery. In the 12 years since the launch of the project, over 100 panels were produced depicting Palestinian history from the Neolithic Period to the present day under the ongoing Israeli military occupation of Palestine. Since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023, the project’s committee has lost contact with most embroiderers from its Gaza group, one of the key groups of Palestinian women who have contributed elaborate panels to the tapestry. Their fate remains unclear and most have been displaced under Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign and ground invasion.