A new public art installation honoring Iranian and Persian women was unveiled on Wednesday in the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council community of Ibim, only a short distance from the Gaza border. The mural, created by Iranian-American artist and filmmaker Hooman Khalili, is the 19th work in his Woman Life Freedom series and the latest in an international effort to highlight the struggle of women living under repression in Iran.
Ibim, a community deeply scarred by the October 7 attacks, was selected to host the newest piece in the project. Khalili’s initiative, which connects contemporary activism with centuries of shared Persian–Jewish history, is intended to reinforce solidarity between the two communities at a time of ongoing regional conflict.
The installation features six women whose lives and stories represent different facets of courage. Among them are Shirel Haim Pour, a 22-year-old Persian Jew murdered in the October 7 assault, and Sahar Saudyán, another young Persian Jewish woman killed defending her country that day. Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked worldwide demonstrations, also appears, alongside Yalda Dokhtiare, Raheleh Amirli and Parastoo Ahmadi. Together, they reflect what Khalili describes as “The Esthers of the world who are rising up.”
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The project was completed with assistance from officials in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dan Oryan and Ran Natanzon were closely involved, continuing their work to highlight the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and Israel’s public backing for Iranian women confronting oppression. The mural’s placement in Ibim links this message directly to the site of recent trauma, a connection the artist says adds weight to the installation.
Khalili said the murals convey a consistent message wherever they appear. “In every city where one of these murals rises, we are declaring the same truth: Israel is the only country in the Middle East standing with the women of Iran.”
He explained that the mural in Ibim is especially meaningful because it sits near the Gaza border—the very place where Shirel Haim Pour was killed by Hamas. Khalili added, “Persian women and Jewish women share a spiritual history, and now they share a pain and a destiny. This wall is a reminder that their courage is stronger than any regime, any terror group, or any darkness.”
The Ibim mural also draws on ancient narrative ties, referencing Queen Esther and Cyrus the Great and incorporating verses from Jeremiah that Khalili selected to symbolize the linked destinies of Jerusalem and Persia.
Khalili has installed 18 murals across Israel and four in the United States over the past 21 months. Additional projects are being planned for Washington, DC and several American university campuses.