I wanted to write an elaborate post on my thoughts on the Gaza flotilla raid and its consequences but it was too hard for me to express them in writing, so I decided to postpone it for now.
However, I did want to share a story with you. It was broadcast on This American Life – a weekly public radio show I listen to as a podcast.
The section I decided to present deals with the tunnels in and out of the Gaza strip. It’s Act 2 of episode #407 entitled ‘The Bridge’, originally aired on 05 July 2009:
In the Middle East, hundreds and hundreds of tunnels connect the Gaza strip and Egypt, allowing supplies to bypass the Israeli blockade against Hamas-controlled Gaza. Producer Nancy Updike speaks with Ira about the tunnels, and plays tape from an interview she conducted with a tunnel owner.
This American Life – #407 The Bridge: Act 2 – Bridge and Tunnel
Every episode of This American Life has a theme and a “variety of stories on that theme. It’s mostly true stories of everyday people, though not always. There’s lots more to the show, but it’s sort of hard to describe.”
And today, to continue the story from last week, but sans politics, here are The Apples – an Israeli jazz band who’s members are from Haifa, Tel Aviv and New York. [click to continue…]
It is time to go back to the weekly Monday’s Tune after a long break.
For the first episode of season 2, I’ve decided to send a tune that Dina sent a week ago in her own music list. The track is by Max Richter, composed for the Israeli docu-animation Waltz with Bashir, directed by Ari Folman. [click to continue…]
After a week break for some good times and some sun in Israel, another Monday is upon us.
Today’s main feature isJosé González, a Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter of Argentine descent.
The song ‘Heartbeats’, from his first album, Veneer, is a cover of a song by fellow Swede duo The Knife.
The special for today is Readiohead‘s latest video clip, ‘House of Cards’ [from the album In Rainbows], which was done without lights or cameras, but with the use of a 3d scanner. Released last week, this is a unique collaboration between programmers and musicians, and with Google Code as the Host.
Israel is not one of these countries, and I’m quite annoyed at this.
The most annoying thing is that Israel’s neighbours – Jordan and Egypt will get the iPhone. How ruthless can Apple be? People will stand on the other side of the border with their 3G iPhones laughing at the Palestinians and Israelis, who will fight each other just to get a glimpse…
Countries like Liechtenstein [pop. 35,365], Macau [pop. 520,400] and Guinea-Bissau [pop. 1,586,000] are going to get the iPhone.
Hello!!! The glorious people of Israel have already jailbreaked more than 25,000 iPhones. Bought in American and European Apple Stores and brought to Israel in deep pockets, or bought in one of the dozens private importers of the iPhone to Israel, without the consent of the valid distributor iDigital.
Israeli entrepreneur Ouriel Ohayon says: Who cares?
I guess this year really started for me with the Jewish New Year, in September. Then, I moved back to London, after almost a year in New York and New Jersey (with a break in California and Israel).
But if the real starting point was in September, then the Beginning is happening now. I mean, now I have a job, I have a house, I’ve settled with the fact that me and Dina are going to have a Cross-Atlantic relationship for some time.
This is the beginning of a new era, for me, for us.
We still haven’t seen the movie ‘Paradise Now’, which has received the Golden Globe award for the best foreign movie, and is nominated for the Oscar in the same category. However, we do have to say a few things on the controversy around it.
The movie describes the process that leads two young palestinians to commit a suicide attack in the city of Tel Aviv.
“Each has his own reasons — and neither of them fits the image we have of the fanatical suicide bomber”.
Few moments ago we received an email from a friend. The friend, who lives in a settlement in the West Bank, forwarded a large number of recipients a petition calling “The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences” to withdraw the nomination of the movie for an Oscar. The petition is supported by a letter from a mother who lost her son in a suicide bombing.
The Main argument behind the petition and the letter, is that “giving an Oscar to this film will glorify these murderers & the groups that have sent them [and] may even encourage more murders of this type”. If the movie represented the executers of the Twin Towers’ destruction, argues the petition, it would have been severely condemned and certainly wouldn’t be nominated for such a prestigious prize.
It is possible to understand the logic behind this petition. It is also possible to understand why a mother who lost her son in a suicide bombing, will not like to see that kind of film nominated for (or winning) the Oscar. However, it is important to remember that the film’s dealing with the issue of a suicide attack doesn’t mean that it legitimizes the act of doing it. On the contrary, a complex, serious and insightful treatment of the issue can help to promote a fresh approach and a critical thinking in both sides of the conflict.
Judging by the comments and reviews we’ve read of the film, it doesn’t idealize the suicide bombers and attacks but
“without letting anyone off the hook, examines the most horrific phenomenon of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.
The attempt of the petitioners to cause an avoidance of the issue will not make it disappear, but will prevent awareness and thwart serious discussion of it. Both sides still have to do a lot of learning and thinking on the issue, which this film could catalyze.
This is not the film that evokes protest for dealing with controversial issues. One of the most prominent examples is the film ‘Trainspotting’. The movie presents an unprecedented point of view of youth’ consumption of drugs, and especially heroin, in Scotland. The film doesn’t explores the question whether taking drugs is good or bad, but presents a sharp and unique description of an existing phenomena. The critics of ‘Trainspotting’ argued that the movie encourages the use of class A drugs.
One cannot control the personal interpretation of the viewers to every film. However, the very possibility of a problematic interpretation should not prevent films from dealing with controversial issues. Any art work should not be restricted by the common norms of good and bad, neither should be censored when it contradicts those norms.
Pushing the borders of the legitimate has always been the prime factor behind every intellectual and cultural development.
Thus, preventing ‘Paradise Now’ from an Academy Award nomination, will narrow its chances to become an incitement of critical thinking and re-evaluating of the accepted stereotypes.
Written in cooperation with Dina Fainberg.
Update: We have seen the film and we stand strong behind what we said!
