Democratic Palestine : 13 (ص 41)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 13 (ص 41)
- المحتوى
-
Portrait of a Palestinian Family 1948-84
A documentary film by PeA Holmquist, Joan Man-
dell, Pierre Bjorklund
In 1948, the 20 year old Palestinian Abu el Adel fled
together with his family, as Israeli troops advanced on their
home village, Dimra. Their flight led thern to the Jabalia refugee
camp in Gaza, occupied by Israel since 1967. Today, Abu el
Adel passes the ruins of Dimra every morning on his way to Tel
Aviv's «slave market», an illegal labor market where Israeli
companies hire Palestinian day laborers. On the land of what
was once Abu el Adel’s neighboring village, the current Israeli
Minister of Trade and Industry, General Ariel Sharon, is now
the proud owner of a flourishing farm. In the film he also exp-
lains why he blew up large sections of Jabalia camp in the early
1970s. For Abu el Adel, his daughter Itidhal, her husband Mus-
tafa, their oldest daughter Ra’ida and their six other children,
life in Jabalia camp is characterized by total insecurity - the
destruction of houses, curfews and killings.at demonstrations.
We follow them both in joy - the birth of Mukhless - and in sor-
row - the grandmother's funeral.
In the film we also meet General Ben Eliezer, responsible
for Israel's occupation policy; Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak
Rabin from the Mapai (Labor) Party; and Reuven Rosenblatt,
director of Israeli settlements in Gaza. Saved from the
Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945 by Folke Bernadotte,
Rosenblatt is now in charge of evicting Palestinian refugees
who live too close to Jewish settlements. We also meet Israeli
soldiers in uniform who express their doubts about the occupa-
tion.
The film was shot during a two-year period under
extremely difficult conditions; the work of the film team more
resembled agent activity than journalism.
GAZA GHETTO is an 82 minute, 16 mm, color, optical
sound film, English version, subtitles; it is also available in
é
9
»?
GAZA GHETTO
video. For information on obtaining the film contact:
PeA Holmquist
Norensbergsg. 86
S-702 15 Orebro, Sweden
tel: 019/10 26 19
telex: 73306 Sroerbr S
Filming Under Occupation
This year’s Damascus International Film Festival included several films about Palestine. Among them
was «GAZA GHETTO» which follows the daily life and experience of a Palestinian family in Jabalia camp
in the occupied Gaza Strip. This film succeeds in portraying with equal vividness the two opposing
aspects of this reality: We see the brutality of the occupation, but also the dignity and strength of the
Palestinians, their love of their land and their persistence in carrying on their lives and traditions despite
this. When «GAZA GHETTO» was being shown in the film festival, we had the chance to interview one
of the film makers, PeA Holmquist.
What was your aim in making this film?
| want to describe what is life under occupation for a nor-
mal family, because in Europe and the United States, there
hasn't been what you could call a war for along time. Although
the European states and the US are making war in other
places, the people there haven't had a war on their own territ-
ory for a long time. | want to show what it is to live under occu-
pation when you can't control anything and you don’t know
what will happen the next day. That's the role of the film.
The film is interspersed with statements by Israeli
Officials. How did you see their explanations for the
crimes committed against the Palestinians, and
how will these be heard in the West?
41 - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 13
- تاريخ
- يناير ١٩٨٦
- المنشئ
- الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
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