Occupation 101

All we ever read, and watch and hear are the bombarding from our media, telling us what to believe, spoon fed how we should feel. It's very refreshing to now know and see the two sides. This documentary has backed up its statistical data with references as evidence, and the opinions expressed are not biased, you would think it would be Palestine's points of views only, but surprisingly they are the voices of Israelis, they are the voices of soldiers, politicians,Jews and Christians etc. I cried, and felt the suffering, I cannot fathom what people under occupation must go through on a daily basis because I have never experienced it, but watching this documentary gave me the insight that I needed. And I will no longer be narrow minded, judgemental, or have tunnel vision. No matter what race or religion, we are all brothers and sisters. The change starts from within ourselves and I for one am changed from this moment. I recommend this documentary and hope it opens the eyes and hearts of others, as it has mine.

I know this may seem like only one side of the story, but the whole point is that we generally only hear the other side of it. In my opinion, this documentary brings another perspective to people's perception of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, and makes it all feel very real. You can't fail to feel the pain of these poor people, unless you're not human.

That being said, make sure you DO hear the other side of the story as well, before making your own mind up. You won't get the entire story here.

Truly Heartbreaking, but everyone NEEDS to see this.

I've been interested in the situation in the Middle East for years. It started when I read a book by a dutch parliamentarian/writer on Gaza. I thought it was probably not true. I didn't believe the situation could be that bad. Well, I was wrong as I learned from years of reading books on the subject and following the news via newspapers and internet. So there's not much surprising for me in this documentary. It depicts life for Palestinians in the Westbank and Gaza. Which is far from a normal life because they live and have lived for decades under occupation. It's a pretty miserable life too. Land taken away, bypass roads on which Palestinians are not allowed to drive, numerous checkpoints and constant land-confiscations. This documentary shows it all from, it has to be said, a strictly Palestinian/Arab point of view. In that sense it is easy for Pro-Israeli's to dismiss this documentary because it's not balanced. Still, I think everyone even a little bit interested in the subject should watch this. It just might give you a new perspective on one of the most hotly contested areas in the world.

This movie shows why president Jimmy Carter called his book 'Palestine, not Apartheid'. It shows the terrible conditions in which the Palestinians live and the Israeli policies that make these conditions possible. The most interesting aspect of the movie is how it exposes the absolute biased and twisted picture that has been painted of the conflict in the media. The media has somehow managed to convince the world that the Israelis are craving for peace and that Arabs are a bunch of anti-semitic terrorists. I'm convinced that many people (not me, as I am pretty well informed on the subject) will be absolutely stunned to learn that what they have been told for decades now is a farce. The movie describes Israel as a state which acts out policies that are extremely racist, reminiscent of South Africa and segregated USA, bent on destroying a civilization and wiping out any trace of Arab Palestine. The movie also describes the roots of the conflict, beginning with the rise of European Zionism. The movie is very well made, plus it has Noam Chomsky in it, which in itself is a good enough reason to watch the movie.

In hindsight, when analyzing oppression we generally come to the conclusion that the side of the oppressed should be advocated. In South Africa, for instance, there was of course violence from the oppressed party, and no one was praising that, but doesn't the incredible violence and ethnic cleansing from the apartheid government deserve far more attention? The view that there are viable and arguable sides to this situation is like saying that there are valid sides to apartheid. Am I biased towards the side of the Africans during the oppression? Of course

This documentary is an accurate portrayal of Palestinian life. I spent a month in the West Bank and Israel, and every single Palestinian is affected by the occupation. I talked to a family who left their house for 2 days only to come back and find a Jewish family living in it, leaving them homeless. People tell themselves that there must be another side to the story because they are aren't aware of the magnitude of the oppression. This film indeed should have involved more ordinary or affected Isrealis, because it would only expose further the inequality and one-sidedness of the conflict, paid for by US tax dollars.

It is impossible to see this heartbreaking documentary and come away still believing that Isreal is the victim in the crisis. It is poignant and accurate, and helps to relieve the public ignorance which blinds us to the gross political oppression of an apartheid state, brought to you by the USA