I watched the Fourth World War which was good in that I agreed with everything in it but I'm afraid I'm a bit off dogmatic voice overs whatever the political hue. The central information was simple. South Africa. End of Apartheid. Had the choice to make utilities public- money goes to the people, ANC followed the IMF making it all private- people still in the shit. Argentina, IMF crashes the economy, people try to take over their country by working with each other.
I'm remided of the simplicity of the Motorcycle Diaries where the director shows us beautifully filmed locals to say- All over South America. Indigenous people. Homeless on their own land because of Capitalism.
After the film a girl recently returned from Palestine recounted her experiences.
She told of Illegal settlements of "california style" houses being built on Palestinian lands with the indigenous Palestinians unable to reach their olive trees for fear of being shot. Fences everywhere with gates opened at the soldiers discretion, journeys which previously took 15 minutes taking four hours.
Even when the Israeli courts declare a settlement illegal they keep building, one settler built 500 houses of which 200 were occupied, 80 percent by poorer Israelis who couldn't afford tel Aviv prices, 20 percent by fundamentalist Zionists who believe the land belongs to their ancestors.
She showed us pictures of burnt Olive trees and holes where explosives were buried to blow up hillsides to clear space for housing. She said that among the internationals they tried to make sure at least three were in the valley at any one time, the settlers would shoot at the Palestinians with no provocation and the Soldiers who would be around would mostly be settlers themselves.
I think I'm going to do some more meditation.
1 comment:
Exquisite point.
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