"5 Broken Cameras"

The Palestinians seems a bit restless this past week. They fired at an Israeli military jeep along the Gaza border on Friday; the Gaza militants fired a rocket into Israel for the first time since a cease-fire agreement was made last November; and hundreds of Palestinians protested with rallies in several locations in the West Bank to protest the death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail. Approximately 200 protesters clashed with the Israeli Defense Forces in Bil’in. This is the location where the Academy Award Nominee for a Documentary was filmed. “5 Broken Cameras” did not win that award. I don’t recommend the film, but here is the trailer:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XID_UuxiGxM]

Bil’in is a village in the “occupied” territory of the West Bank. The film attempts to connect you emotionally with one family living in the village. You follow the children growing up, their birthdays, their questions about the fighting and you actually begin to feel sorry for them. It is sad when any family anywhere in the world feels they have to fight daily for their rights. However, the film does not depict an accurate account of what is going on there. The file does not show the Palestinian provocations before Israel responds to gain peace.

Remember, that in 1967, when Israel’s neighbors again mobilized for a full-scale invasion and blocked her waterways, Israel pre-empted them in a defensive war, called the Six Day War--and things go well for Israel.

In six days, Israel conquers the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights in the north.  Israel triples its territory in six days. Many view this as a modern miracle! Israeli’s really believed on the eve of that war, that they were going to lose their state and lose their lives.  They were terrified. But Israel had victory in this war.

And now the “occupation” of the West Bank and Gaza begins, which was won by Israel in the defensive war. What is Israel’s first response after taking over the West Bank and Gaza strip? They immediately offer to give it back to the Arabs in exchange for peace! Their reaction was—okay, you attacked us.  We won. We conquered this land that is enormously important to our defense, but their first response was to offer to give the land back in recognition as a state and for peace to exist! There never would have been an “occupation” if their offer had been accepted! Israel had no desire to expand their borders—just to unify the land.

And negotiations have been going on and off since 1967 for a two-state solution to end the “occupation” that the Palestinians created.