Educational Media Reviews Online

Dan Setton’s film State 194 brings to life a stark and persistent hope in a land where its people live with dignity, in peace, and self-autonomy!

I began the reviewing of State 194 with a primary question which bothered me, “How can resolution to this 40 to 60 year old conflict in the region known as Israel and Palestine ever be reached so that the peoples of each state may live with relative peace of mind?” I thought, “What better time than in the midst of the Israeli “Operation Protective Edge” for a successful resolution to the need for sovereign identity and mutual respect between the governments of Israel and Palestine of which I am including both what is called the West Bank and Gaza?” Perhaps, I thought, this premise or one similar was on the mind of the film’s director when he first envisioned this film on the heels of the December 2008 and January 2009 Israeli action called “Operation Cast Lead.” What better time for hope than in the midst of death, pain, anger and sorrow?

A primary figure in the documentary is Salam Fayyad. Fayyad was appointed Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority in 2007 by Mahmoud Abbas and reappointed in 2009. It was Fayyad who in 2009 spearheaded a plan entitled “Palestine: Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State.” In short, his plan was for Palestine to be admitted to the UN as the 194th “State” member. It was this man and this plan to achieve a two-state solution to tensions between Israel and Palestine that inspired Setton to document this movement.

In 1974 the General assembly of the UN granted the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) “permanent observer mission” status. State 194, two years in the making, chronicles in great detail the efforts of Salam Fayyad to gain “State” status of Palestine in the United Nations. Together with other activists in Israel and Palestine the film documents inspiring efforts to overcome what many call an impossible task. Fayyad resigned from office in April 2013. Disheartening to many and pleasing to others, UN status of Palestine remained as “observer mission.” In August 2013 the General Assembly of the UN voted and granted Palestine non-member “Observer State” status.

It was Ralph Lauren that once said “A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” Unfortunately for the vision expressed in this extremely well developed and starkly shot documentary the movement lost its leader when Fayyad resigned from office in April 2013. Accordingly, some “would-be” viewers of State 194 may tend to discount the value it offers. This is especially significant in light of the loss of the party leadership of Salam Fayyad. This presents viewers with several points of departure for study and debate. Some may argue Fayyad failed while others that he had at least some success. The film will challenge those interested in a solution to the tensions of the region. It provides a wealth of fodder for those interested in examining potential solutions from sociological, psychological, political and theological backgrounds.

Official State 194 film trailer (2012) is available on YouTube. The TakePart website provides several excellent primers that may be used in association with screenings.