A Contrapuntal Reading of Catherine Leroy’s Photograph of a Fedayee Taken during the Civil War in Lebanon (1975–1990)

An Article by: Yasmine Nachabe Taan (2025)

This article examines Catherine Leroy’s photograph of a fedayee as seen in God Cried (1984) that offers a nuanced perspective on an unconventional representation of a Palestinian freedom fighter, particularly within the context of the Palestinian liberation struggle in the refugee camps during the civil war in Lebanon (1975–1990). The photograph challenges prevailing western media depiction of Palestinians as subversive terrorists, aiming to restore their humanity and contesting the constructed image of the fedayee as a menacing thug. The article demonstrates how Leroy’s lens becomes a tool for reclaiming the Palestinians’ right to be visible as a human subject, transcending the biased portrayals perpetuated by some Israeli and western media.

To read the full article:
https://doi.org/10.1080/17540763.2025.2549714