Far From Paradise

Warning: Serious Post below... If you like humour with your politics, go read my guest post for Jameel about Burgers and Pizza
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was with mixed feelings that I saw "Paradise Now", the Palestinian film directed by a Nazareth native which attempts to depict the "human side" of Palestinians recruited to become suicide bombers, win the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.

(The link above will tempt you with the ugly beast which is the Feedback Forum, which last I checked was engaging in a degenerating debate about the legitimacy of suicide bombings and pointing the "Evil!" finger at will. Mostly towards Israel. You gotta love Haaretz.)

For the record, as a citizen of the civilised world, I do not endorse or condone any pro-suicide bombing viewpoints under any circumstances. Or tolerate anyone who believes otherwise. Yet from having seen "Paradise Now," I would venture that its director shares my feelings on this most controversial matter.

Don't get me wrong: it was perhaps the most difficult film screening I have ever attended. (And I have sat through many, many disturbing, depressing films, so that is saying something.) The Jerusalem audience- the most packed I have ever seen that cinema, btw- was a true and rare cross-section: all ages, all ethnicities, all religious representations, all responding accordingly and visibly to the parts which moved, distressed, angered, or even humoured them specifically.

I'm not going to review the film here. But I will vehemently disagree with all those who are calling the Golden Globe win a PR nightmare for Israel, (when, indeed, is anything not a PR nightmare for Israel?!) despite the director's over-use of the ceremonial podium to further the Palestinian Cause.

Anyone else who has seen it is free to disagree with me, but I did not receive any messages which justified, sympathised with, or glorified murderous acts against our people. The characters who supported and encouraged suicide bombing were depicted as cowardly, dishonest and exploitative, not in any way as appealing as those who vocally condemned the phenomenon as both immoral and counter-productive. Many disturbing issues were raised, and the film's narrative is harsh and often bleak. But if nothing else, I came away with a clearer- albeit intensely depressing- notion of the near-impossible challenges which lie ahead for all of us who inhabit this crazy little country. Post-Golden Globes grandstanding and bandwagon-ing aside, I maintain that "Paradise Now" can provide insight to anyone who wishes to gain deeper understanding of the human side of the ongoing conflict.