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On
hearing that John Pilger would return to our screens
courtesy of Carlton television to voice and illustrate
the situation of the Palestinian people, both historically
and currently, it was certainly not something I intended
to miss:
curiously contemplating exactly what was going to
be shown. Although knowing Pilger and his writing
it certainly was going to be a programme demonstrating
truth and not the pro- Israeli stance we are drip
fed by elements within the British media.
Twenty-five
years ago, I made a film called 'Palestine Is Still
The Issue.' It was about a nation of people - the
Palestinians - forced off their land and later subjected
to a military occupation by Israel. An occupation
condemned by the United Nations and almost every
country in the world, including Britain. - John
Pilger.
Although
the then condemnation,the British Government continue
to support the Israeli structure and supply it with
weapons. The United States is still funding Israel
to the tune of billions and UN resolutions are still
being ignored. The only visible change in 25 years,
as stated by Pilger, is that today the Palestinians
are fighting back.
This
documentary showed some of the stories behind what
can only be described as horrific events and illustrated
the human tradegies that are so commonplace in that
area of the world. The documentary was only one of
many I have witnessed delivering a balanced picture
of the ‘Occupation’ at work.
The
documentary broke through the stereotypes and supplied
the audience, even if it was momentarily, an opportunity
to look at the individual impact of the conflict in
Palestine. Fatima Abed-Rabo described what has now
become a familiar story to many: stopped at a checkpoint
whilst in labour with her second child, herself and
her husband with two other family members were left
to deliver their child at a road-side. By the time
they eventually reached hospital after travelling
via alternative routes their new born son was dead.
They where told by IDF soldiers 'it was not personal
we treat all Palestinians that way.'
Ishay
Rosen-Zvi is one of more than 500 soldiers who have
refused to serve in the occupied territories:
We
are, they've said, like the Chinese student who
stood in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square.
We are the conscience of our country. I really think
the real story of the occupation is there in the
checkpoint. I cannot forget this kind of picture,
you know, five in the morning, quarter to five in
the morning… hundreds of people waiting, you
know, to pass… the checkpoint. And you're standing
there. And you see their eyes… the humiliation,
the frustration, the hatred. Then you are the occupation.
You have all the power, they have no power.
Israel
continues to build on occupied land forcing the Palestinian
people to live on camps in isolation and ultimately
enforcing control. It has been likened by many to
an open prison. Occupation affects every aspect of
daily life. Dr Al Farra explains to the audience the
impact of the closure techniques used by Israel to
keep Palestinians in confined areas - to make a twenty
minute journey from Gaza to Hanunis can sometimes
take four to nine hours because of the checkpoints.
Pilger,
accompanied by settler David Reisch showed the huge
walls built around settlement villages, and also the
stark contrast that prevails between the settlements
which are reminiscent of middle class American suburbs
and the refugee camps and villages scattered under
them - their population not even having access to
running water while the settler neighbors have all
the resources they acquire to live comfortably including
access to employment and education and as much water
as they require. When Pilger challenged Reisch about
the aspect of compromise as a way forward between
settler population and neighboring Palestinians he
answered 'its either us or them.'
Pilger
did not ignore any aspect of the conflict: when focusing
on the first female suicide bomber, Waka Idris, a
28-year-old ambulance worker, Pilger again illustrated
this aspect of programme in perfect balance. The brother
of Waka speaking of what she had experienced and witnessed
as an ambulance worker: also featured was Rami Elhanan,
a father of a young victim of a suicide bombing. Fourteen-year-old
Smadar was killed by a suicide bomb whilst shopping.
An ex-soldier and descendant of a Auschwitz survivor
Rami’s words portrayed the feelings of rational
Israeli citizens and not the Likud Party line we often
hear.
"I'm
not crazy. I don't forget. I don't forgive. Someone
who murders little girls, anyone who murders little
girls, is a criminal and should be punished. But
if you think from the head and not from the gut,
and you look what made people do what they do -
people that don't have hope, people who are desperate
enough to commit suicide, you have to ask yourself
have you contributed in any way for this despair?
For this craziness? It hasn't come out of the blue:
the boy, whose mother was humiliated in the morning
at the checkpoint, will commit suicide in the evening.
The suicide bomber was a victim - the same as
my girl was. Of that I am sure. You have to
understand where this suicide bombers come from.
Understanding is part of the way to solving the
problem."
Touched
by the bravery of the dead child’s father, respect
and understanding from one who has lost, versus the
hatred displayed by many others in the name of Israel.
The important aspect that Pilger did not leave behind
- there are Israeli citizens who oppose Sharon’s
tactics in his 'war against terrorism.'
One
of those citizens who oppose the destruction, killing
and oppression by the Israeli government and its security
forces is most certainly not Dori Gold who is now
senior advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Gold was previously Netanyahu’s right hand man
when it came to US - Israeli relations. Observing
Pilger and Gold was enjoyable viewing. Pilger was
his traditional self when challenging the Israeli
rhetoric which, it appeared, was all Gold knew how
to disclose.
Straight away asking Gold if Israeli terrorism prior
to the establishment of the state could be justified.
Gold spun us the Since September 11th ….. “
(A line that, personally stating, is getting old):
Terrorism
is going to move from the present situation to non-conventional
terrorism, to nuclear terrorism. And before we reach
that point, we have to remove this scourge from
the Earth. And therefore, whether you're talking
about the struggle here between Israelis and Palestinians,
the struggle in Northern Ireland, the struggle in
Sri Lanka, or any of the places where terrorism
has been used, we must make a global commitment
of all free democracies to eliminate this threat
from the world. Perio. - Dori Gold
Pilger
intent on getting Gold to face the idea of state terrorism
challenges Dori to which he responds: 'No country
has the right to deliberately target civilians. As
no organisation has a right to deliberately target
civilians.'
Gold
refuses to accept that there is the concept of Israeli
state terrorism. Pilger sets forth a scenario for
Gold whereby an old woman was shot dead entering the
hospital for her chemotherapy. Gold gets frustrated,
heads straight for denial and refuses to focus on
the one scenario. Dori Gold facially unsettled, and
the tone of his Americanized voice slightly disrupted
because he could not handle what was asked of him.
(Dialogue
of part of interview between Pilger and Gold)
Dori
Gold: I don't know the case you're speaking
about, but I can be convinced of one thing. An Israeli
who takes aim - even an Israeli sniper - is taking
aim at those engaged in terrorism. Unfortunately,
in every kind of warfare, there are cases of civilians
who are accidentally killed. Terrorism means putting
the crosshairs of the sniper's rifle on a civilian
deliberately.
John Pilger: Well that's - that's what I've
just described.
DG: That is what - no. I can tell you that
did not happen.
JP: It did happen. And - and I think that's
where some people have problem with the argument
that terrorism exists on - on one side.
DG: If you mix terrorism and counter-terrorism,
if you create some kind of moral obfuscation, you
will bring about not just a problem for Israel,
but you will bring about a problem for the entire
western alliance. Because we are all facing this
threat.
So
to confuse terrorism and counter terrorism - this
is the conclusion given to us by Israeli government
spokesperson as to the tactics used by its forces.
The
sponsorship of international countries of Israel terror
was also covered within this programme. Israel is
currently the fourth strongest military power globally
and the largest in the Middle East region. This huge
military power is, supposedly, under attack and is
retaliating under provocation. That I know is not
the truth. The Peace process that both sides partook
in was shown to the world to be comical farce. Ilan
Pappe an Israeli historian explained,
It's
very important to understand that from a Palestinian
point of view, they were asked to sign… a document
which did not relate even to one of the central
issues for which they had been struggling for more
than 100 years. They are left eventually with an
offer of 10% of what used to be Palestine. The Israelis
who dictated this offer in the summer of 2000 are
not even talking about a proper state. We are talking…
of a stateless state, I would call it. A Bantustan
with no genuine sovereignty. With no independent
foreign, economic or political policies, with no
proper capital and at the mercy of the Israeli security
services and Israeli policy. Not only that, but
there is now documented evidence that the Palestinians
had made an extraordinary offer to the Israelis,
conceding even more of their land. But this was
not news at the time.
When
questioning Gold on the possibilities that negotiations
could make an impact on the situation, Gold again
as previous discloses the Likud party line, which
does not regard Palestinians as people who have the
right to self-governing. The idea of an independent
Palestinian state provokes nervousness in Gold; Pilger
is determined in challenging those views expressed
by Gold. The Israeli spokesman consistently keeping
to the rhetorical line of spin that we hear day and
daily and which cloud the truth of what is really
going on. The last thing that Pilger says to Gold:
What right have you to create someone else’s
homeland?
Dori
reckons someone has asked them to …… we
all know however that they are merely doing what they
see appropriate to keep their ‘homeland’
by any means they feel necessary, which means breaking
all international laws although the majority of the
international community will still continue to support
and supply this terrorist government.
As
surprising it was to see this documentary on mainstream
ITV, It was not however surprising to hear that The
Israeli embassy in Britain as well as Deputies of
British Jews, and Conservative Friends of Israel declared
it was one sided - pro-Palestinian. Carlton Television’s
Chairman of communications Mr. Michael Green has apparently
disowned the documentary, Green stated that he was
extremely unhappy at the documentary and would be
seeking actively for a programme to put forward the
Israeli point of view, despite there being Israeli
citizens and ex - military participation in the documentary,
Green states:
“But
it was John Pilger - it was factually incorrect,
it was historically incorrect, there is no doubt
in my mind that this programme was a tragedy for
Israel as far as accuracy is concerned.”
Might
it be suggested to Mr. Michael Green, that the tragedy
in this scenario is simple.
YOU
JUST CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!
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