Palestine is Still the Issue 2002
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by Carlton Television Limited
Directed by Tony Stark
VHS, color, 53 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Ethics, Human Rights, Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Michael J. Coffta, Business Librarian, Bloomsburg University of PennsylvaniaIn 2002, Sophie Prize winning journalist and creator of other documentaries such as The New Rulers of the World John Pilger returned to Palestine to view the state of progress towards peace in Palestine 25 years after assembling a similar documentary. The word “still” in the title of this documentary is italicized to show his evaluation that no progress toward a livable order has been made.
In 1948, the nation of Israel was formed from 78% of Palestine, and since 1967, despite UN condemnations, superiorly armed Israeli soldiers have occupied much of Palestine, regulating the lives of the Palestinians.
Suicide bombings grab headlines, but Pilger exposes the “state terrorism” of the Israeli government. Several interviews are conducted with people such as the brother of Wafa Idrees, the first female Palestinian suicide bomber, and the father of a suicide bomb victim, who assigns much of the blame for the death of his daughter on the Israeli government. This man considers the bomber to have been as much of a victim as his daughter. Pilger interviews one of 500,000 Israeli soldiers who have refused to serve in occupied Palestine. This soldier states that Israel’s calling every criticism of its government to be anti-Semitic is “a huge Israeli bluff.” The film also examines the walled settlements in Palestine and how they are used to control the Palestinians.
This film clearly states that occupation is eating away at the lives of both peoples. In addition to his blame of the Israeli government, Pilger places the blame for the violence and injustice in Palestine squarely at the feet of the Israelis who have forgotten the Jewish persecution and humiliation at the hands of the Nazis and now remain silent. In doing so, he lauds those who do speak out and shows that this movement in Israel is no longer just a voice in the wilderness, but a growing sentiment.
This film is highly recommended for its bold analysis of the Palestine problem, and while it has received considerable criticism for its bias, it is still crucial viewing for those interested in challenging their assumptions.