Audioblog

Mohammed Alatar

16 Dec '08 - 13:15 by

Interview with the Palestinian-American political scientist, filmmaker and human rights activist Mohammed Alatar about his filmdocumentary The Iron Wall.

In 1923, Vladmir Jabotinsky – father of the Zionist right – wrote: "Zionist colonization… can proceed and develop only under the protection of a power that is independent of the native population – behind an IRON WALL, which the native population cannot breach."

From that day on, these words became the official and unspoken policy of the Zionist movement and, later, the State of Israel. Colonies, often referred to as "settlements," were used to solidify the Zionist foothold throughout historic Palestine.

Following the 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, more than 200 settlements and outposts have been built in these territories, in violation of international law. The Iron Wall exposes this phenomenon and follows the timeline, size, and population of the settlements, reveals how their construction has been a cornerstone of Israeli policy, and demonstrates how the Wall secures them as permanent and irreversible facts on the ground.

This documentary warns that a contiguous and viable Palestinian state is becoming no longer possible, and that the chances for a peaceful resolution of the conflict are slipping away.

The Iron Wall features interviews with prominent Israeli and Palestinian peace activists and political analysts, including Jeff Halper, Akiva Eldar, Hind Khoury, and others. Also included are eye-opening interviews with Israeli settlers and soldiers, and Palestinian farmers.

Reviews

"The best description of the barrier, its routing and impact is shown in the film The Iron Wall." - President Jimmy Carter

"The Iron Wall is a highly recommended film for anyone concerned with the quest for a just and peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - a film that takes a clear stand while showing genuine empathy for both sides." - Hillel Schenker, Co-Editor for Palestine-Israel Journal.

"This is a powerful film exposing one of the most pressing issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is imperative that it gets a wide audience, and that efforts are mobilized to subvert a catastrophic outcome." - Jean-Jacques Joris, head of the Swiss Representative Office to the Palestinian Authority.