Jerusalem, The East Side Story – Jan. 14, 2009
Awareness Film Night Weds. Jan. 14th “Jerusalem, The East Side Story” – The reality on the ground of the Israeli Occupation of Palestine
U.N. General Assembly President Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockman recently described Israeli policies in the Palestine Occuped Territories as tantamount to “apartheid”. He said: “The state of Israel celebrates 60 years of existence. Shamefully, there is still no Palestinian state to celebrate. what is being done to the Palestinian people seems to me to be a version of the hideous policy of apartheid”. Was Father d’Escoto Brockman giving an accurate description of what is going on in Occupied Palestine? On January 14th Awareness Film Night will provide an opportunity to learn more about the urgent developments in Israel/Palestine by presenting the film “Jerusalem, the East Side Story” followed by a brief talk and question session with Victoria activist Theresa Wolfwood who has recently returned from Palestine.
This film was produced and directed by highly acclaimed film director and human rights activist Mohammed Alatar who has said: “I did not make the film so that people would like it, because there is nothing to like in military occupation, but rather I hope and pray that people will wake up to today’s bitter reality in the historic city of Jerusalem and do what it takes to bring peace to this troubled city.” This documentary take the viewer on a journey exposing Israel’s policy to gain supremacy and hegemony over the city and its inhabitants. It is explained in bite-size history lessons how Jerusalem was not only conquered by force, but also how the state of Israel took annexed Palestinian land to enlarge the city boundaries in order to block the possibility of a sustainable Palestinian presence in the city. This includes the illegal 32 foot high wall that cuts through Palestinian neighborhoods and leaves Palestinian Jerusalemites cut off from one another and the city as well as the ongoing tragedy of Palestinian house demolitions by Israeli bulldozers. Jerusalemites, Israeli, Muslim and Christian tell their stories first hand. Following the hour long film Awareness Film Night will be joined by Theresa Wolfwood, a Victoria writer and activist who has recently returned from a month-long trip to Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon with the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature as well as Palestinian farm and peace organizations. She met with village councils, farmers, students, NGO’s, womens’ groups, refugee activists, doctors, teachers, poets, writers, and artists. She also helped with the olive harvest in Palestine. Terry will give a brief talk on what she saw in Palestine and then be available for questions from the audience. “Jerusalem, the East Side Story” will be shown in the Edward Milne Community School theatre at 7 p.m. Admission is by donation.
