In Pictures

Eid under occupation

Palestinians overcome daunting obstacles as they try to visit Jerusalem for Ramadan prayers.

Palestinians walk to board a bus after crossing Qalandiya checkpoint outside Ramallah, West Bank, into Jerusalem to attend the Ramadan Friday Prayers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, July 26, 2013.

Jerusalem – Each year in the month of Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in the West Bank have to deal with the entangled bureaucracy of the Israeli authorities, and a complicated web of military checkpoints – a series of obstacles which often prevent them from visiting holy sites, holiday spots – and their relatives.

Crossing from the occupied territories to visit East Jerusalem – itself deemed occupied West Bank territory – residents must pass through Qalandiya, a huge checkpoint akin to an airport terminal or other international border post.

Permits to enter Israel are only available to men over the age of 40, and women over the age of 35. Children under 12 are not required to have permits during Ramadan, but must still find a relative or guardian with a permit in order to cross at Qalandiya.

Photographers from the Active Stills collective followed Palestinian families throughout Ramadan, crossing the checkpoints, visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque, and taking a trip to the beach to celebrate Eid al-Fitr – the conclusion of the holy month.

A Palestinian woman walks past an Israeli border police officer on July 12 at Qalandiya checkpoint - the main crossing point between Ramallah and Jerusalem.

Palestinian men walk near a section of the Israeli wall near Qalandiya checkpoint on August 2. The wall, which Israel says is necessary for its security, carves into the occupied territories - leading many to believe its construction is more about annexing land and dividing neighbours.

Border police officers stand in front of a Palestinian crowd as they wait to cross Qalandiya checkpoint on July 26, 2013. Many Israeli military checkpoints throughout the occupied territories have been dismantled in recent years, but Qalandiya remains one of the largest.

Palestinian women and children are separated from the men as they are slowly herded through Qalandiya.

Palestinians denied permits to cross through Qalandiya use a ladder to climb over the Israeli wall in Al-Ram, north of Jerusalem, in an attempt to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque for the third Friday prayer of Ramadan, on July 26.

Israeli soldiers discovered the efforts to cross the wall, and destroyed the ladder.

Palestinians break their fast at Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem. Despite the eastern part of the ancient city officially falling within the occupied West Bank, the system of walls and checkpoints prevents West Bank residents from entering the city. During Ramadan, permits are given to some to visit, but they are only available to men over the age of 40, and women over the age of 35.

Palestinians prepare a cart from which to sell drinks to those lining up at Qalandiya checkpoint. The wall here is emblazoned with images of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and jailed parliamentarian Marwan Barghouti.

A girl buys juice from a stall in the northern West Bank town of Nablus, as the day(***)s fasting draws to a close, on July 17.

A Palestinian man prays in Jerusalem(***)s old city, on the second Friday of Ramadan.

A Palestinian baker in Nablus prepares traditional sweet pancakes for the breaking of the daily fast on July 17.

Israeli and Palestinian activists play in the water with Palestinian children from the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, on Jaffa beach, near Tel Aviv, on August 4. Activists who attend the regular Friday anti-occupation protests in Nabi Saleh took several of the village(***)s children for a day of fun at the beach. Children under the age of 12 don(***)t need a permit in order to enter Israel during Ramadan.

Palestinians celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, on August 8, with a dip in the sea at Tel Aviv. Israel has this year allowed tens of thousands of West Bank Palestinians to visit Israel during Ramadan.

A Palestinian woman prays in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea during Eid al-Fitr, which brings the month of Ramadan to a close.