At the Green Line | |
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Directed by | Jesse Atlas |
Produced by | Eyal Dimant |
Release date |
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Running time | 52 minutes |
Country | Israel |
Languages | English Arabic Hebrew |
At the Green Line is a 2005 Israeli documentary made by Jesse Atlas that profiles several members of Courage to Refuse, a political group whose members refuse to serve in the Israeli military because of moral opposition to its policies. In addition, it features several Israelis on active service in the military as part of their reserve duty. The title refers to the 1949 Armistice line established between Israel and Syria, the Jordanian-held West Bank, and the then Egyptian-held Gaza Strip. The latter have been referred to as the Occupied Territories.
The 53-minute film explores the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians from the perspective of soldiers in the Israeli Defence Forces. Specifically, those who refuse service discuss their motivations, and soldiers who are actively serving also speak about their feelings. Some describe the conflict between trying to treat Palestinians fairly while being a member of an enemy, occupying force.
"You have two different conversations running at the same time," a commanding officer explains, "One is: 'how can I be an effective soldier and protect my country by finding the terrorists?' And at the same time: 'how to be a human being that honors the lives of the Palestinians?'" [1]
In Israel, all 18-year-olds must enter the military to serve. They see this as the end of childhood. As noted in a review of the film, "You get a rifle in your hands," another soldier remarks, "And you're with it twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. And that's it. No more childhood." [1]
The film explores various issues related to suicide bombings, daily treatment of Arabs at IDF checkpoints, and the West Bank barrier constructed in the early 21st century.
The following list is given by Cinema Guild: [2]
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The occupied Palestinian territories, also referred to as the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Palestinian territories, consist of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip—two regions of the former British Mandate for Palestine that have been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967. These territories make up the State of Palestine, which was self-declared by the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1988 and is recognized by 146 out of 193 UN member states.
Citizens of Israel have refused to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or have disobeyed orders on the grounds of pacifism, antimilitarism, religious philosophy, or political disagreement with Israeli policy such as its occupation of the West Bank. Conscientious objectors in Israel are known as sarvanim which is sometimes translated as "refuseniks", or mishtamtim.
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The Green Line, or 1949 Armistice border, is the demarcation line set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between the armies of Israel and those of its neighbors after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It served as the de facto borders of the State of Israel from 1949 until the Six-Day War in 1967, and continues to represent Israel's internationally recognized borders with the two Palestinian territories: the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
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Nadia's Friends is a documentary which follows filmmaker Chanoch Zeevi as he travels through Israel exploring how Zionism has evolved since he was a child. Zeevi attended elementary school in the religious Zionist village of Kfar Haroeh, where his classmates represented a cross-section of Israeli society. They included Jews of every background: Ashkenazi, Sephardi, religious, secular, and even one Arab girl —Nadia, for whom the film is named. Now, more than twenty-five years after graduating from elementary school, Zeevi has organized a class reunion that brings together men and women whose lives have diverged from the original journey begun in Kfar Haroeh.
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Wedding in Galilee is a 1987 film directed by Michel Khleifi. It marks the first feature film made in Palestine by a Palestinian director and was awarded the International Critics Prize at Cannes in 1987. Produced during an era when there were scarce cinematic depictions of Palestinian existence, Wedding in Galilee revolves around the marriage ceremony of a young couple in a Palestinian village situated in Galilee, northern Israel.
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