Louis Theroux: The Ultra Zionists

Really one of few spotlights on the extremists Jewish groups on tv. A must watch.

I find this a very disappointing film by Louis Theroux. The documentary is - as might be expected from the title - focused on the Jewish perspective of the conflict in the West Bank. However, there is no clear distinction between the Jewish presence in the West Bank and an actual interaction with the Ultra Zionist movements. This is disappointing and I would have expected a more distinct way of treating this subject. Even worse, if such a generalization is made, then it would be of the greatest improtance to give a voice to the Palestinians suffering in the West Bank. By not doing so this documentary is, though mildly pro-Palestinian, very one-sided and excludes a very important narrative in this conflict. Though showing tensions, the Israeli focus is very distorting and a balanced approach to the highly relevant tensions would be necessary. Sorry Louis, but this was disappointing.

Louis Theroux really picked a tough nut to crack. In this installment, he talks to Zionists who are trying to expand their hold over Israeli territories. So, while the government has often been working to get rid of new Israeli settlements into Palestinian land, these folks are pushing for more and more because 'God has ordained that they have the land'--of course, Palestinians often feel pretty much the same way.

The show features a lot of interviews--mostly which are depressing because it all seems like a never-ending saga. As one person said, it's all seemingly fruitless and another called it all a ritual. In the course of all this, I really learned nothing and it wasn't very entertaining...just depressing and sad seeing folks stoking the fires of hate.

By the way, if you watch this show, be aware that the focus seems rather pro-Palestinian--though certainly not blindly so. I would be interested in seeing Theroux also one day do a film showing the Palestinians more and interviewing more of them. Overall, I found the show a little less entertaining and informative than usual and Theroux's interviews were not as pointed as usual.