Irish artist behind famous Che Guevara poster flies the flag for Palestine

Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick, the man behind the renowned red and black print of Che Guevara, has his focus on a new hero, Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi.

Fitzpatrick has created a print of Tamimi holding a Palestinian flag above DC Comics’ Wonder Woman symbol. The strap-line reads ‘There is a real wonder woman”. The image can be found at his website.

Ahed, 17, has become an international symbol of Palestinian resistance following her arrest in December last year, which came days after a confrontation with Israeli soldiers.

“Ahed Tamimi, to me, signifies nobility in the face of oppression. This is a kid, a child,” Fitzpatrick told news website Newsweek.

When I was 15, I think I would have been petrified. Wherever she’s getting her courage from, there’s a resonance of it echoing across the world. I’m just a part of it.” He said, “I’m afraid they’re going to kill her. And that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing.

Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick with a promotional image of a stamp featuring his world famous image of Che Guevara [Irish Times]

Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick’s image of Ahed Tamimi, with note stating it ‘may not be used by anti-Semetic individuals’ [Jim Fitzpatrick / jimfitzpatrick.com]

In the incident, which took place in her home village of Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah, Ahed was filmed by her mother, Nariman, screaming at and pushing two soldiers. She is seen kicking one soldier and slapping his face and threatens to punch the other. The video went viral and just four days later, on the night of December 19, Ahed and her mother were arrested after soldiers stormed her house. Ahed said that the incident took place after she had seen a video of her 15-year-old cousin being shot in the head with a rubber bullet.

She faces 12 charges, including assault, “incitement” and stone-throwing. If she is convicted she faces a lengthy jail term. Judge Menachem Liberman ordered that the case, which is being held in a military court, would take place behind closed doors.

The judge cleared the court of diplomats, journalists and Ahed’s supporters. Liberman said the move was to protect Ahed’s privacy as a minor. The teenager’s lawyer, Gaby Lasky, said her client was willing to waive this right.

“This court of occupation fears the light shined on it by this case.” Lasky said. “After it placed Ahed under open-ended detention in violation of her rights as a minor, the court now uses the false pretext of protecting these rights to shield itself from the criticism this case raises.”