BrunoThevenin

Photojournalist
based in Madrid

Award of Excellence
Pictures of the Year International 83, 2026

Work / Story 16 of 16

Absent Innocence

Location
Israel / Palestine
Subject
Conflict
frames
11
Absent Innocence, frame 1 of 11

01 / 11

— Absent Innocence

Absent Innocence is a project about childhood in two societies confronted by territorial occupation, Israel and Palestine. It focuses on the mechanisms used by the Israeli military occupation to control a people they consider a threat to their state.

This year marks 71 years since the declaration of independence of the State of Israel, the Nakba or disaster for the Palestinian people. Today almost every generation was born during these years. A whole society whose childhood has been taken.

On the one hand, all Israeli citizens, having reached the age of majority, are obliged to serve in the army for a period of approximately three years. On the other hand, Palestinians coexist from birth with a foreign military presence in their territories and are subject to a military judicial system, whereby they can be tried and sentenced to several years in prison from the early age of 14.

Absent Innocence' is a project about childhood in two societies confronted by territorial occupation, Israel and Palestine. It focuses on the mechanisms used by the Israeli military occupation to control a people they consider a threat to their state.

Licensing and publication: brunothev@gmail.com