As long as I live, I don’t think I’ll ever truly understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and there is no way I’m going to summarize it here in a few paragraphs. Face it, there is something that causes them to hate each other to the point where they both want to kill each other and I think with a western point of view, we get the impression that the Palestinians are the main culprit of violence in the area. Their history is filled with bouts of violence and this documentary by Julia Bacha sets itself up to a positive image of an Palestinian town that used non-violence to fend off Israeli aggression.
The town of Budrus is on the West Bank with a population of 1500 and lies near where the State of Israel is in the process of building a 760km fence designed to protect Israeli civilians from Palestinian terrorism (of which there has been a decline since the wall has been built). What this meant to Budrus though was that the town would be encircled by this fence, taking away about 300 acres of their farmland which contain approx 3000 olive trees. While olive trees might not seem like much, they are the main source of revenue for the small town as well being sacred to the town’s history. The wall will also affect eight other nearby villages that once enclosed would diminish their access to fields, offices, construction sites and university classrooms as well as friends and relatives outside the wall.
As the film starts, about 60 trees have been demolished in the drawing of the path the wall will take. The film’s main focus is on the work of Ayed Morrar, a Palestinian leader who made the decision that the town should fight the Israeli’s through the use of nonviolent resistance. While not totally unheard of, the movement of civil disobedience was actually defined as being in opposition to violence. Even the traditional use of stone-throwing was condemned by the movement and placed the women of the town in the front lines causing all sorts of quandaries for the Israeli military.
Bacha has made a few documentaries concerning issues in the area and this might be her best effort. While focused on the Palestinians, the film does it’s part in showing not only the actual protests but the response by the Israeli military, including a funny comment by a ranking Israeli military leader who probably didn’t make his bosses too happy with his comments. It is nice seeing this side of the conflict which rarely gets reported on in this country and can be eye-opening for those trying to understand the conflict in greater detail. We also see Israeli supporters traveling to Budrus to march side-by-side with their Palestinian brothers which really makes one wonder what all the fuss is about over there. I am surprised this film didn’t get a nod from the Academy since it is definitely deserving of such. A must see for those who enjoy the news or history and wish every conflict could be solved by such means.
Please go see this movie. I give the movie an A-.
The movie starts Friday, March 18 at the Main Art Theatre and on Thursday, March 24 at 7:15PM, Rebecca Abou Chedid of Just Vision will be at the theatre. Just Vision is a nonprofit non-partisan and religiously unaffiliated peace organization that informs Israeli, Palestinian and international audiences about under-documented joint civilian efforts between the Israelis and the Palestinians to resolve the conflict nonviolently.
