The Visit Palestine Tourism poster

The Visit Palestine poster was created in 1936 by Franz Krausz, a Jewish graphic designer born in Austria who emigrated to Palestine during the 1930s.

It was commissioned by the Tourist Development Association of Palestine, a Zionist-linked tourism body during the British Mandate period, to promote tourism and Jewish immigration to Palestine.

The original design shows a stylised view of Jerusalem with the Dome of the Rock as a focal point beneath an olive tree, with the words “Visit Palestine”.

After fading from circulation, the poster was revived in 1995 when Israeli artist David Tartakover reprinted it with Krausz’s permission. Tartakover intended this as a gesture of hope during the Oslo peace process. The image circulated widely in the West Bank, including in Palestinian homes and shops. Many people began to see it not as Zionist promotional art but as an affirmation of Palestinian identity and connection to the land.

Over the years, artists and activists, both Palestinian and international, have reworked the original poster to convey political messages. Amer Shomali (2009) added imagery of the Israeli separation barrier, symbolising restricted Palestinian access to Jerusalem. Other versions substitute or juxtapose the original image with themes of occupation, exile, or solidarity, including festival promotions and art pieces on Palestinian life. Some adaptations, including Israeli works, play on the phrase or design to question national narratives (“Is it Palestine?”).

The Visit Palestine poster has become one of the most recognisable visual icons connected with Palestinian history and struggle. Its layered origins, originally a Zionist tourism advertisement that was adopted and reframed by Palestinians and solidarity movements, give it a complex political symbolism.

In its contemporary use, it is often deployed to assert Palestinian identity and presence in historic Palestine, countering narratives that deny Palestinian history or rights.