Gaza artist a siege victim

Published: 29 October, 2010

• VISITORS to the summer art exhibition at Islington town hall were welcomed by the blue, black and white Resistance painting conveying hope under adversity. Sadly, the 30-year-old artist died on October 18. Hundreds of Islingtonians, moved by the Memories from Gaza exhibition, will be saddened by the untimely death of Najah Sobeh Al-Qeiq.

Najah suffered from lung complications. Her only hope was to obtain treatment outside besieged Gaza. But as part of its siege, Israel prevents even critically ill patients from accessing medical centres, such as in the West Bank, including in occupied East Jerusalem. Najah became another uncounted victim of the siege.

Exhibiting her paintings this summer in Islington was the first recognition of her personal struggle and achievements outside Gaza. Najah created 50 paintings, of which six were smuggled out of Gaza and included in the Islington exhibition. At the time of her death she was working on a new painting. 

Suggestions for commemorating Najah can be sent to info@islingtonyibna.org. Islington Friends of Yibna will forward condolences to her artist brother, Yosef Sobeh Al-Qeiq.

YAEL KAHN 
Chair, Islington Friends of Yibna