the documentary was all about the Palestinian and Israeli conflict in the middle east....snore ? Not at all! Of course there are numerous articles, documentaries and commentaries about this particular conflict. But this video took a different approach to the issue. They focused on the small village of Budrus in the west bank of Palestine.
While dealing with the sensitive subjects of the west bank, and the lives lost to terrorist attacks in the recent years, the Israelis decided to put up a fence (red line) for their protection along the 1967' borders (green line). It was said to be a divider for safety for the Israeli people. But there is a second story. Ill try to explain, short and sweet.
The map of the borders between the two states and the wall are -->
Strange its not along the border itself right? RIGHT!
Strategically there are israeli settlements along the border (green) there are also lots of water reserves that supply the palestinian villages on the other side of the divide...like Burdus.
The wall is set up squiggly like that in order to take the best for the israeli settlements and in some cases cut right through palestinian villages.
This was what was to happen to Burdus, the wall was to be built through the village. the wall would take away a large portion of the agriculturally- dependent peoples' farmland, as well as their communities cemetery. In Burdus their olive trees are their entire lively hood...one woman said they are as precious as their children. They give them the names of their mothers, its just part of their culture to be that connected with their earth. They have the right to keep it, if you uproot the trees your uprooting them.
The villagers band together and engaged in totally non-violant protests against the jewish militia, and although they were often brutalized and beaten...the men AND women of the community fought off the building of the wall and set a non-violent example for other palestinian villages in the area. Due to their impressive, dedicated, and peaceful protests and marches. The enraged Israeli government were forced to increase their violence on the protestors, and for 10 months the Burdus people continued to protest in the face of horrifying brutality.
But through their peaceful, and wise protests the government was forced to redraw plans for the fence closer to the 67' borders and Burdus was saved.
Some themes throughout the film were peace, and how non-violence holds far more possibility for change than combat. Also, they faced the cliche of Palestine as a violent and terroristic people and showed a new face of Palestine. We should shed out previous preconceptions and explore the people as an independent people who are fighting for their land and their rights. Of course, I too associated Palestinians as a whole as being terrorists...but the truth is that the people are individuals. Although there are some who act out through violence, there is a large and powerful movement amongst the Palestinian state that encourages non-violent protests...and they are becoming the norm. Lets support this ideal :)
Anyway this was something I wanted to share with you...false generalizations and all that. I would recommend this film to all people. Humanity brings about humanity, violence only brings pain.
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