Political Film
Introduction
The Arab Israel conflict is an issue that has gone on for a long time. The political lines drawn by the two divides not only affect the people involved politically but economically as well. Arab states have been depicted as bad people, while Israelis are seen as good people. The conflict has led to the occupation of Arab territories such as Palestine. The occupation which has existed for decades has led to economic hardships for those affected. Hostility remains between Palestinian and Israelis. As such, protests have mostly resulted in Palestinians losing their lives through Israeli attacks. Children are not spared in the attack aftermaths. The Israel Arab conflict remains a sensitive issue that has varied views across the divide. The Arab world views the occupation as unlawful while the Western world deems it necessary. Due to the political unrest witnessed in the Arab world, the Arab nations are perceived as war instigators devoid of peace initiatives. Israel, on the other hand, is seen as peace-oriented but lacking backing from its Arab neighbors.
The purpose of the paper is to focus on the ongoing Arab Israel conflict as relates to film production. Palestine though not a nation by being under Israeli occupancy, still fights for its freedom. Films centered on the conflict envision a time when Israel and Palestine’s co-exist in peace. The ideological aspect of the conflict is equally highlighted.
Question 1
How Recent Israeli Films Address the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Recent Israeli films focus on the conflict between the Arabs and Israelis. The films showcase war, which is a reality. The films also depict hostility between Arabs and Israelis. Both divides view each other with suspicion and seek to retaliate with every available opportunity. Unrest and protests exist in Israeli occupied territories such as West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Despite this being the reality of the Arab Israeli situation, there are efforts to resolve the tension at a community level. Israelis and Arabs, in this regard, share friendships despite the political divide between the two. Tolerance at a societal level is being advocated for through film. There have been films produced to this effect.
The films though showcasing the conflict, economic struggles of the Arabs, especially those under Israeli occupancy, also showcase unity. The films in this regard show the need for peace between Arabs and Israelis. It is, however, interesting to note that the films elicit varying perspectives among the Arabs and Israelis. The Arabs perceive the indication of the likelihood of peace as a betrayal. To the Arabs, the possibility of peace is evasive as long as Israel continues its Arab occupancy. To the Arabs, there would be no peace and unity as long as Israel continues to attack them. In this regard, the Arabs are perceived as bad guys, while the Israelis are perceived as good guys. It is in this regard that the integration of Israelis and Arabs is deemed impossible.
How Films Deal With the Occupation and Ongoing War
The Attack
Films such as The Attack have been banned in the Arab world (O’Sullivan). The banning is indicative of the political tension between Arabs and Israelis. The Attack film is centered on Israeli Palestine doctor who lives and works in Israel. The doctor has a loving relationship with his wife, who is Israeli. The focus of the film is, however, on the attack perpetrated by the wife through a suicide bomb attack. The doctor is in denial when he is told that the wife is the suicide bomber responsible for the death of several people. He does not understand how his wife could do such a thing. What the doctor is even more confused about is the fact that the wife is a jihadist. The wife converts and becomes a suicide bomber without his knowledge. The killing of innocent people that include women and children is the motivation behind the wife’s conversion. Israel presumably perpetrates the massacre. The wife becomes a Palestine terrorist and suicide bomb a restaurant killing children celebrating a birthday (O’Sullivan).
Arabs, as inferred earlier, are deemed as the bad people while the Israelis are perceived as the good people. The film changes the narrative as the suicide bomber is Israeli. The Israeli, in this regard, is the bad person as she converts to a terrorist. Palestine, in this regard, is the good guy. The film thus gives the impression that the existing narrative is not correct. Israelis are just as bad as the Arabs since they perpetrate killings. The occupation also means that the people living in occupied territories have no access to health, education, and other necessary facilities. The oppression of Palestinians living in West Bank, for example, depicts Israelis as inhuman as the Arabs.
The military occupation by Israel leads to loss of life through military actions taken against Palestine. In the film, the wife attacks Israelis in retaliation for attacks against Palestine. The retaliation between Israel and Palestine makes it difficult to stop the war. Both divides defend their war actions based on the activities of the other. Israelis attack Palestine in retaliation while Palestine attacks Israel in retaliation as well. Other Arab countries such as Lebanon, for example, support Palestine. As such, Israel has little support in the Arab world. It is therefore not surprising that the film is banned in Arab countries.
Dancing in Jaffa
Dancing in Jaffa is another film revolving around the Israel Arab conflict. The film is centered on a ballroom dancer who opens a dance studio in Jaffa (Jones). The dancer envisions a situation where Palestinian and Israeli children can come together and dance. Dance transcends any negativity as it brings people together. It is this vision under which the dancer starts the dance school. Having the classes kick off becomes a challenge as the children are not friendly towards each other. The enmity between Palestine and Israel has been passed down to younger generations. The lifestyle difference between the two divides is also evident. The Palestine children come from challenging backgrounds in comparison to their Israeli counterparts. The difference is a result of the Israeli occupation and ongoing war.
Though there is a lot of hostility at the beginning, the children start to warm up to each other. Dance is at the center of the warming up; hence the more the children learn how to dance, the more the barriers are broken. In the end, it is difficult to tell the difference between Israeli children and Palestine children. The interaction between the children also transcends the dance studio and trickles down to the adults. Even though cohesion is a huge and challenging task, the film tries to show that it is possible in subtle ways such as dance.
Israeli Identity
Both films depict Israel as responsible for the continued conflict through the occupation. However, Palestine is perceived as responsible for terrorism, thereby making Israel the victim of terrorist actions. These actions by the Arabs give Israel the identity of a nation under attack by Arab forces. Its occupation and war are thus depicted as a need for self-protection. It is, however, essential to note that the identity forged is based on the divide one is in. The Arab world, in this regard, would not identify Israel as the victim but as the perpetrator. The Western world, on the other hand, would view Israel as the victim. Israel thus does not have a similar identity across varying divides. Identity is dependent on the political standpoint of the individual in question. Both films identify Israel as the villain and the victim. The terrorist acts of the Arabs depict Israel as the victim in need of protection hence the occupancy and military action.
Zionist Ideals about the Existence of the Israeli State
Zionism originates from a need for the Jews to go back to their home. The settlement of Jews in Israel is, therefore, not only political but religious as well. Israel is consequently land given to the Israelites by God. Zionism originates from a Jewish religious and political perspective (History.com Editors). Israel is a predominantly Jewish nation which translates to the existence of Zionism. The Zionism ideal in this regard sees Israel’s occupation of territories such as Gaza and West Bank as rightful according to religious beliefs. A spiritual and political aspect thus exists as concerns Zionist ideals. The films depict discrimination as Arabs are deemed inferior to Israelis. Israel is a state, whereas Palestine is not. The conflict is based on a need for freedom of the Palestinians, rendering Palestine a nation. The occupation denies Palestinians this right. Zionist ideals in this regard support discrimination of Arabs living in Israel as well as those living in other states. It is, however, interesting to note that there are Israelis who see the occupation as unnecessary and those who see it as necessary (History.com Editors). Those of the opinion that it is necessary are in support of the recognition of Palestine as a nation. The conversion of an Israeli woman to a Palestine terrorist in The Attack film brings this aspect into perspective.
Question 2
What Constitutes a Palestine Cinema?
Palestine is not officially a country. However, it does not mean that the Palestinians do not have an identity. A cinema constitutes the ideology of a nation, and as such, a national cinema in Palestine would represent such ideologies. Freedom is one such ideology that would be depicted in a Palestine cinema. The conflict between Palestine and Israel is centered on a need for Palestine to become a sovereign nation. Sovereignty, in this regard, is a critical aspect to the Palestinians. In this regard, the dreams of Palestinians include being given recognition as a nation. Terrorism ideologies would also be constituted. It is important to note that terrorism to Palestine and the Arab world is viewed as ‘Holy War.’ The need to fight for identity as a nation would thus be an ideology evident in the Palestine cinema.
The Attack film, for example, depicts Palestine as a terrorist nation. The conversion of the doctor’s wife is also well orchestrated. The fact the husband is not aware of the wife being a terrorist is a testament to this fact. The sheer will to fight Israel for the atrocities perpetrated on innocent Palestinians leads to the wife’s suicide bombing her people. The taking up of Palestinian ideals as far as terrorism is concerned is depicted in the film. The film also shows the divide between the Israelis and the Arabs. Palestinians live in a dire state as they lack access to basic amenities. The doctor who is of Palestine descent is viewed with suspicion after the wife perpetrates the attack. He is seen as disloyal by Palestinians and an enemy within by Israelis (O’Sullivan). The identity of Palestine is thus an important aspect. The doctor, having an Israeli wife as well as working in Israel, is regarded as an outcast in Palestine. The setting of Palestine in both films showcases constant struggle and war orchestrated by the Israeli occupation.
The divide and subsequent tension are depicted through the strained relationship between the Israeli parents and Palestine parents. The ballroom dance instructor has a difficult time enlisting children due to these tensions (Jones). The Palestine parents see such efforts as disloyalty to their ‘country.’ However, there is cohesion and integration towards the end between the two divides. It showcases a need for peace for Palestine. Peace is, however, perceived as mythical as regards the Arab Israeli tension. In this regard, the Palestine cinema depiction of cohesion in films would be considered a myth.
The Dancing in Jaffa narrative moves from conflict to peace. Tension is high at the beginning of the film, but towards the end, friendships across the divide are made. The Attack narrative, however, moves from peace to tension. The doctor and his wife have a loving relationship with his wife. The wife is a Palestine terrorist who perpetrates an attack in an Israeli restaurant killing innocent people among them children. The event is confusing for the doctor, who has a difficult time believing that his wife led a double life. Betrayal is evident throughout the film as a result. The husband feels betrayed by his wife, while the Palestinians feel betrayed by the doctor. The doctor has more questions than answers at the end of the film.
Palestine Identity
Palestine’s identity is that of a person discriminated against hence the need to fight for what should be rightfully owned. As inferred, a national Palestine cinema would convey the liberty message. Both films, in this regard, convey a similar ideology as a national cinema. Palestine feels the need to identify as a nation. Liberty from the Israeli occupation is the solution to the problem. As such, war and conflict are inevitable. However, as depicted in the dance film, personal relationships are possible between the two divides. Even though such relationships create tolerance towards each other, there is little effect on a larger scale. The doctor is punished by the very same Israeli community indirectly for his wife’s terrorist actions. The actions of the wife would be viewed as heroic in Palestine due to the war ideology held. A national cinema ideology would focus on liberty from the Israeli occupation. The Attack film, in this regard, would support the ideology. The Dancing in Jaffa film, on the other hand, would be against the ideology as it would be seen as a betrayal to the cause. The film showcases peace and tolerance, which is not an ideology that would be depicted in the Palestine cinema. A holy war ideology, as illustrated by the latter film, would thus be in line with the Palestine cinema.
Conclusion
The Arab Israel conflict is not likely to end soon. The different ideologies held by Arabs and Israelis further complicate the issue. Zionist ideologies that seek to occupy Arab territories (History.com Editors), for example, make the peace process illusive. The Jihadist ideology held by Arabs, on the other hand, equally makes the peace process illusive. The occupation of Arab territories such as West Bank and Gaza fuels conflict and, by extension, war. Unfortunately, innocent lives are lost in the process from both divides, as depicted in The Attack film. The Arab Israeli conflict is an example of the impact that ideologies have. It is interesting to note that Palestine and Israel both fight for what both divides deem as rightful. Israelis defend the use of military force by Israel as necessary. The use of terrorist activities by the Arabs is equally justified as an appropriate action by the Arabs. Each divide has its own political and religious ideologies to back the actions taken.
Works Cited
Amnesty International. “Everything You Need To Know About Human Rights In Israel And
Occupied Palestinian Territories”. Amnesty.Org, 2020, https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/report-israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/.
History.com Editors. “Zionism”. HISTORY, 2019,
https://www.history.com/topics/middleeast/zionism.
Jones, Emma. “Can Film Help The Arab-Israeli Peace Process?”. Bbc.Com, 2013,
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20131217-can-film-help-arabs-and-israelis.
O’Sullivan, Michael. “‘The Attack’ Movie Review”. Washingtonpost.Com, 2013,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/the-attack-movie-review/2013/06/19/9d99d006-d457-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html. Accessed 12 May 2020.
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