GARQAD

contain the verse “וגר זאב עם כבש” in the style of Zeev Raban — a visual language deeply tied to early Zionist messianic imagery. The upper two rows depict Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump shaking hands, flanked by two Garqad leaves in the position traditionally reserved for olive branches in the Israeli state emblem. Here, the Garqad — drawn from the famous hadith describing the “tree of war” — replaces the olive, subverting the emblem of peace into one of eschatological conflict.

The relief is mounted with custom connectors, each holding a red triangle — a symbol circulated by Hamas in its videos. This insertion directly ties the work to the visual economy of contemporary war and information warfare.

Garqad examines the convergence of evangelical Christian messianism, American political power, and Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By combining sacred text, nationalist iconography, and contemporary far-right figures, the piece reflects how religious narratives are mobilized as political tools. The work exposes the way symbolic images — once anchored in messianic hope, are reactivated in service of modern ideological and geopolitical agendas, turning sacred promises into weapons of influence.