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Documentaries on the Israeli - Palestinian Conflict
Jerusalem still rattles as epicenter of the clash between the Arab World and the west. With Israel's occupation of the lands Palestinians claim rightfully theirs, it has become a symbol of Western oppression for many Arab countries. Trying to follow the scattered headlines of suicide bombers, withdrawals and failed peace talks can be a gruesome task. Tuning into the pundits can cause a dizzying spell of disconnected rhetoric. Minds hungry for truth and new perspectives can focus their search by turning to documentary filmmakers. The voices swallowed by headlines find new breath in several independent documentaries released since 2000 such as; Promises, The Inner Tour, Gaza Strip, Jenin - Jenin, Until When... and The Wall. In a telling moment in B.Z. Goldberg's documentary Promises, A Palestinian boy, Faraj, watches his Grandmother pray upon the grounds of her demolished home. Faraj's family was forced from the West Bank into refugee camps and through the course of the film befriends an inspiring group of children living worlds apart in Jerusalem. Filmmakers Goldberg, Justine Shapiro and Carlos Bolado documented their experiences from 1995 - 2000. A revealing truth beams from innocent eyes as their mouths regurgitate prejudices of their elders. The influence of years of violence on children creates wisdom beyond age and whether they interpret it personally, religiously or through family, the message of the film is within their pliable minds. As quickly as an orthodox or secular upbringing in a hostile environment can shape the perceptions of a generation, youth can discover an enlightened empathy. The film is essentially a promise to guide audiences through knotted misconceptions. The filmmakers weave a hopeful tapestry for a few children daring enough to transcend inherited prejudices. There is much to learn from the children and it becomes apparent they have much to learn as well. Unfortunately the project emerged from a time of relative peace when there was a glimmer hope, but has fallen back under the shadows of conflict. This same fate confronted Ra'anan Alexandrowicz's intimate documentation of a Palestinian group's bus tour of Israel, in Zeitgeist Film's The Inner Tour. The guided tour bus is one of the few ways many Palestinians have to visit the land they were forced to leave. Confined to passing roadside views and tour stops, the journey begins as a semi-exciting vacation, but ends up a sad realization of the occupation. While the tour guide gives a scripted modern history of Israel, the passengers quietly point out personal landmarks of prisons and bulldozed homes amongst themselves. Along the way the trip briefly reunites a man torn apart from his mother and family as they toss gifts to each other over barbed wired fence. Without spoiling how the film's end resonates, perhaps the most enigmatic rider on the bus finds peace, but ultimately reveals what may be the insurmountable resentment of Palestine. The oft-mentioned political message of Palestinian immersion in Israel's economy takes surreal form in the film as the tourists make a stop in Jerusalem. Many of them are almost in shock, transfixed by the bright city lights and express how they never believed they would walk amongst the Jews.
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Contributor's Note
Read More about The Israeli - Palestinian Conflict Through Documentary Lens: Beyond News Headlines, Independent Documentaries Gain Perspective Across the Rift of Israel and Palestine, by Jason Cangialosi
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The Israeli - Palestinian Conflict Through Documentary Lens
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Human Rights in Gaza
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