No Way Through is a short film aiming to bring the daily reality of the West Bank to London. In particular, it focuses on the hurdles created by the occupation and presence of checkpoints to obtaining access to medical attention, often ending in fatal consequences.
The film succeeds in shocking and gaining empathy. It becomes incomprehensible to the viewer that such a reality could ever subsist in our society; incomprehensible that people who look like us, our neighbours, our families would ever be forced to live in such conditions. But the fact of the matter is that people who look like “us,” “our” neighbours and “our” families are forced to live like this on a day to day basis. Access to basic and necessary medical attention translates to access to survival, a luxury we often take for granted.
Watch this film. While it is clear what message the creators want to relay to you the viewer, realize that impediments to mobility and denial of access to medical attention are unfortunate realities faced by countless others around the world beyond the OPT.
Their only sin is that they don’t look enough like “us” to garner our awareness and sympathy.
[tarboush tip: Ali]
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- Settler Violence in Hebron (New Video Leaked)
- Israeli Humanitarianism at its Best
- Private: On War, Lack Of Peace, And Sharing Spaces
Good story, it's a shame we still talk about these things…it's sad, people die on theses checkpoints in Gaza and the West Bank.
Posted by Hanitizer | November 23, 2009, 10:19 pmSadly the checkpoints are just an ordinary part of every Palestinians life. They don't take into account the killings, economic sieges, the apartheid wall etc.
Posted by Arayus | November 24, 2009, 7:17 amThis is a very interesting short film. And very sad. One can get an idea of how terrible it really is. By having the same situation the Palestinians face take place in London sort of gives a different perspective to people of what is going on.
Did you notice the "Free Palestine" graffiti in the film? I think that is incontrovertibly what needs to happen, Palestine needs to be free, there is just no agreement on how to get there.
I think it bears mentioning the reason for all of these roadblocks and military checkpoints… and what can be done to alleviate the need for them.
I disagree with the statement that Their only sin is that they don’t look enough like “us” to garner our awareness and sympathy because the fact that Alexandra Bouillon and Sheila Menon made this film shows people are concerned and aware, as well as all the other people focusing on this. I don't think that race plays a big role in this situation – it wouldn't matter if the Palestinians were black, or white, or any other color, the security situation is what it is because of what has happened. It may sound cynical or callous: but the fact is that all the attacks against Israel haven't helped the Palestinian cause, they have just made life more difficult for Palestinians as Israel tightens its security.
These situations need to be alleviated, and I am naturally an optimist, but I really think that things are closer than they ever have been before to getting better. And I think that the information age is helping immensely.
Posted by eagle007blogger | November 25, 2009, 7:13 amBeautiful..
I have not really been able to empathize with the human rights abuses Palestinian have to face every day as much until i saw this short film.
How inhuman can any nation be to people; and that too, for so long. It's a shame. Shame on humanity for not punishing the culprit.
Israel is a morally bankrupt state. Its destruction is at hand. This is the wisdom that history teaches us.
Reminds me of that quote right at the start of Mel Gibson's awesome movie – Apocalypse : "No nation is destroyed until it is destroyed from within"
Posted by OooKhalid | November 26, 2009, 6:37 pmAny nation has the right to protect its citizens from attack.
Targeting civilians is morally bankrupt, as is causing your people to commit suicide. They are crimes against humanity. And we see how pathetic the outcome is for the people who embrace such lowly and despicable tactics, the tactics of blind hatred. Now the morally bankrupt rely on lies to explain what they do.
But some are breaking free from the chains of ignorance and hatred, to find a better way. You cannot stop them, as much as you would like to. Progress will pass you by.
Posted by Beautiful | November 27, 2009, 5:20 am