Week 28: Promises

This week we started our unit on the Documentary "Promises", which takes place in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. Promises follows the lives of seven young Israeli and Palestinian children and gets their viewpoints on the current conflict on their turf. The movie is interesting because all the children seem to have taken some perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and they all are very well-informed on the subject, despite their young ages. The documentary gives great incite on the war, and covers both sides respectively. The seven children live within 20 minutes of each other, but different cultural backgrounds show drastic differences in opinions in each of the children.

Daniel and Yarko are two Israeli children that have been raised in a more secular surrounding, which as provided them with a more moderate standpoint on the Conflict. Yarko and Daniel don't hate Palestinians, and ask B.Z. several times if they can meet one because they've never had the opportunity. The two boys show little bias against any race of people, but rather would get to know someone before they judge him. This is apparent in their desire to meet Faraj, a Palestinian boy whom they want to befriend. Their parents, whom are non-practicing as well, decide to allow them to meet Faraj.

Faraj is from a refugee camp in the West Bank, and he supports the Hamas but is on the fence on his opinions of Israelis. At first, he views them only as the oppressor whom he must stand up against, but begins to show more sympathy after meeting Daniel and Yarko. The three boys connect and Faraj begins to realize that not all Israelis fall under the stereotype that he had perceived of them. However, he still strongly believes that he has the birthright to his grandmother's old property that she was forced out of during the British Mandate of Palestine. He has the oportunity to visit her old home with her, only to discover that it had been bombed by Israelis.

Moishe and Mahmoud represent the radical opinions of their parents, but from opposing sides. Moishe, who lives in the West Bank, firmly believes that the Israelis have absolute right to the land of Israel, and he shows an extreme disgust of Arabs. He states at one point in the film that he would annihilate every last Arab if he had the chance. Mahmoud is on the other side of the spectrum, a strong supporter of the Hamas, and believes that the Israelis have no right being in their land. Living in East Jerusalem, he is somewhat integrated with both sides. Neither boy has any interest in meeting the other, and both have very violent attitudes toward the other.

Shlomo is a Hasidic Jew that lives in Jerusalem, and grew up with very Western thinking because his father is from America. His practices are very traditional, but he shows an understanding towards the Arabs that Moishe does not share. Shlomo does not believe that the Palestinians are justified or right, but he can understand where they are coming from and has no violent feelings toward anyone.

Sanabel is a Palestinian who's father is curently in prison for being a journalist. She has justified bitter feelings against the Israelis but wants her father back more than anything.

The movie is very interesting because it shows so many different perspectives from such bright, young children. This next week I'd like read more up on the background of the conflict so I can better understand how it started and formulate my own opinion on it.

Sources:

Moishe. Photograph. Umass. Web. http://www.umass.edu/jewish/uploads/basicContentWidget/i_10744/02_Promises_Moishe.jpg.

Promises DVD Cover. Photograph. Fulvue Drive-in. Web. http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/cover/PROMISES.jpg.