I am so upset by the film I watched on Channel 4 News last night. Filmmakers created a 6 minute film aired last night that left me with more than a lump in my throat. It made me weep. I don’t think it matters whether you are a Jew, a Muslim, a Christian, not religious at all, or a blended family like ours who all manage to rub along together, no one can say what is happening is right for any reason. It’s just not.
And when even the President of the USA and supposed “friend” of Benjamin Netanyahu is saying “Everyone F***ing Hates You” not that I think that’s the right language to get anyone to listen or be influenced, something someone somewhere has got to be done, got to do something to make this stop.
It’s no longer important which unrelenting side is right and prepared to fight to the death it’s about all the innocents caught in the middle with no power, the victims, the children, us. The collective we.
Abraham Burg an Israeli author, businessman and former Israeli politician contributed to the program wearing a Peace jumper, symbolic of former Israeli PM known for his Peace jumper Yitzhak Rabin, prime minister of Israel from 1972-1977 and then from 1992 until his assassination in 1995.
Yitzhak Rabin is the Israeli Prime Minister commonly associated with "peace jumpers" and sweaters, stemming from two distinct events in his life:The Peace Rally (1995): He wore a dark sweater when he was tragically assassinated on November 4, 1995, by a right-wing extremist following a massive pro-peace demonstration in Tel Aviv.
The Peace Jumper (2018), Decades later, his iconic black-and-white image inspired political fashion designers to create a specific Peace Jumper or sweater advocating for an end to all conflicts.
The whole program last night night which I recommend you watch if you didn’t see it and the peace jumper created a discussion in our house that caused me to stay up and when I did go to bed I was unable to sleep.
My normally very centred and rational partner said “I don’t know why someone doesn’t just assassinate Netanyahu, something of course we don’t advocate but it just goes to the frustration of a world that in the most part just wants to live their lives in peace. The few in power ruining things for the many.
When Abraham Burg spoke to Matt Frei on channel four news, providing a different perspective, from his past experience in the Israeli government and now as an author and businessman it gave us all some hope that people in Israel see what is happening and categorically know it is wrong.
He spoke about a government that looks at war like a pleasure, he used the word party, that these people actually enjoy the scrap and won’t stop until they have killed everyone even if it means Israelis dying too.
He spoke with knowing, how as they carry on, the world turns against them, putting Israel in the weakest position internationally that they have ever been giving reason for a rise in anti semitism and yet they still continue using anti semitism as the reason for their mission of extermination, Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, history repeating just like their desire to over power Egypt in the 1950s during the Suez Crisis. Even my kids acknowledged thank goodness there are still people in the world who think like him.
When Jews are hoping and wishing for someone to take out Netanyahu what hope do we have for peace. When children the same age are watching films like this and saying they hope a millionaire is watching and helps these kids, saying if I was a millionaire I would give my money to help a boy they don’t know get treatment for injuries sustained because of brutal sanctions by leaders elected to do good, what is right, perhaps the children would make better leaders, and that’s a fact.
We see the same divisive politics here at home which disturbs me, the recent rally in Southampton over the murder of Henry Nowak and the undertone of racism by right wing groups fuelling violence but nothing comes close to the 6 minute watch on Channel four as they followed the lives of four children, surviving the aftermath of what everyone is recognising as a genocide in Gaza.
I don’t remember their names but I see their faces, the 14 year old girl playing her Violin, the young guitarist dreaming of his place on Arab Idol and seeing the judges chairs turn, the boy filling his days with work, pulling a fruit cart, sweeping, before school, after school his whole family wiped out, talking of losing what is most precious to him, not possessions but people and most tragic of all the young lad blown to pieces, now unable to walk, lying depressed in a tent, his only wish, hope for someone to offer him treatment and put an end to him being stuck in the chair, his words.
Good lord, what are we doing. It’s not surprising all people including Jews don’t want to see this because we are all complicit.
We are all complicit.
Please watch and share this film. It’s the saddest thing I think ever. And then do something. We all have choices. To be brave and speak out is a choice.