Imagine peace in the Middle East. Imagine a future in which Israelis and Palestinians join forces to bring prosperity and freedom to the region. Envision a reality in which Palestinian and Israeli children play together.
Who, you may ask, wouldn't want such a future? Who doesn't want a safe and secure Israel alongside a prosperous and stable Palestine? The answer is that, unfortunately, Palestinian leadership over the decades has not been acting according to the best interests of both Palestinians and Israelis. In fact, instead of working toward peace, Palestinian leaders have supported violence and terrorism, thereby escalating the suffering on both sides. However, Israeli security policy is often taken out of context, facts on the ground are ignored, and Israel is cast as the aggressor in the conflict.
The film "Occupation 101," which was screened at Tufts on Wednesday, Oct. 13, presents viewers with a misrepresentation of the facts regarding the Palestinian−Israeli conflict. After seeing this movie, it is clear to me that "Occupation 101" has a very simple mission: to evoke in its viewers contempt for the State of Israel.
Moreover, the film justifies violence rather than encouraging dialogue. The opening premise of the film states that "any violence by a large population is not because these people are more violent than any other. ... It's a signal that something is wrong in the treatment of this population." Instead of advocating for ceasefire, peace negotiations and coexistence between the two sides, the film exacerbates the conflict by excusing the attacks perpetrated by Palestinians against Israelis. Indeed, the message of "Occupation 101" is counterproductive to the pursuit of the best interests of both groups.
The most striking problem with the film's portrayal of the conflict is that it severs the causal link between terrorism directed against innocent Israeli civilians and the subsequent Israeli response to such unprecedented violence. For example, the Israeli security fence running along the border of the West Bank in Israel is referred to as "the hate wall" in the film. Although the security fence is certainly an inconvenience for Palestinians, the film neglects to mention that the barrier was built specifically in response to suicide bombings and that this wall has successfully reduced terrorist attacks by 90 percent.
Indeed, Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Abdallah Shalah himself admits that "they [Israelis] built a separation fence in the West Bank. We do not deny that it limits the ability of the resistance [i.e., the terrorist organizations] to arrive deep within [Israeli territory] to carry out suicide bombing attacks."
Next, the film accuses the Israelis of mistreating the population in Gaza. But the film fails to explain that Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005 in the hopes of speeding up the peace process. However, the internationally recognized terrorist organization Hamas took over the territory, repressed the Palestinian people and has since launched upwards of 10,000 rockets into Israel, thereby provoking an Israeli response culminating in the 2008−09 Operation Cast Lead.
Although Palestinians are the largest per−capita recipients of foreign aid in the world, Hamas, since its bloody takeover of Gaza, has actively blocked humanitarian aid transfers into Gaza; it also smuggles weapons and funds terrorism rather than infrastructure. Hamas continues to use Palestinian civilians as human shields and purposefully uses mosques, schools and hospitals for storing and launching rockets. Palestinians who oppose the regime are brutally dispatched, as are journalists who disagree with Hamas' leadership.
Such abuse of Palestinian civilians is nothing new. The film "Occupation 101" correctly states that conditions for Palestinians worsened after the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords. However, it fails to take into account the abysmal leadership of then−Palestine Liberation Organization head Yasser Arafat. The film turns a blind eye to the corruption by Arafat, who stole millions of dollars that had been donated to the Palestinians by the Americans and Europeans, not to mention his authorization of guerilla warfare, shooting, bombings and rocket and suicide attacks against Israel. Indeed, Palestinian leadership has twice refused to accept a state alongside a Jewish one — in 1947 and then in 2000 — and instead chose to launch a violent campaign against its would−be neighbor.
Arab−Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh articulates the fundamental problem with the film "Occupation 101" when he states: "Telling the world how bad and evil Israel and the Jews are does not help the Palestinians as much as demanding good government and encouraging the emergence of young and ‘clean' leadership in the Palestinian territories." The suffering of Palestinian civilians is a direct result of corrupt leadership.
Unfortunately, the film "Occupation 101" blames only Israel and excuses the violence perpetrated against Israeli civilians. The film feeds the fire of the conflict by failing to condemn terrorism. A film truly committed to the rights of Palestinians would promote democratic values in the Palestinian territories and endorse a shared vision of peace and mutual recognition, as well as stability and prosperity for both groups. Only then will the prospect of peace in the Middle East be in sight.
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Ariella Charny is a junior majoring in International Relations and economics.
