Assignment #9: Promises (Israeli/Palestinian Children) - engine of souls

mre · Senior Member

Assignment #9: Promises (Israeli/Palestinian Children)

Lili D · Member

Because PROMISES includes expressions of anger, sadness, frustration, and religious dogmatism, as well as descriptions of discrimination and violence, viewers are likely to encounter things they find uncomfortable. As you watch, think about which things are hard to hear and why?

It was hard to hear that all the kids wanted to kill others because of there nationality. They fact that kids wanted to kill other was hard to hear, killing others is pointless cause it doesnt solve anything. Its hard to hear kids talk like there adults of killing others.

Which things might be hard for someone who disagrees with you to hear and why? If you and your opponent each listed the things that were hard to hear, which things might be on both lists?

I dont really know anyone can disagree with me at anytime and moment so its hard to say, the killing each other and hate being put on the table would be on both list

Were there moments that felt universal or points which seemed to typify childhood? How can we use common experiences to build bridges?

Not really, well we are all kids at one point but where we where born and raised adds to our life so its all that u learned in your childhood

Did you ever have to contemplate things like: Will someone blow up the bus Im about to get on? What will it be like when I have to go into the army? Will they ever let my father out of prison? Has my friends father ever shot at me or someone I love? Will I ever be permitted to leave this place or return to my familys home?

Well yes and no because I do wonder what will happen next and what I can do, but other people faced worse them me so Im always wondering if something bad will happen when I wake or will I wake up. So yeah I do

What happens to people when normal means being surrounded by war? What impact does living with daily conflict have on peoples ability to find peaceful solutions? How have the events of September 11 influenced your ability to be a peace-maker?

When people are surrounded by war they become afraid and have to think of ways to survive in that environment, well a lot because all they hold is anger, some of them find peace with another and others just fight till the end. Well since September 11^th Im still a peace maker I mean its not the people that live heres fault its the leader of the people that made this happen so I dont blame it on anyone because its not the hole countrys fault just the one that made the order,

There are moments in PROMISES when the barriers between the children seem to weaken. What specific things are happening at these moments or have happened to make these moments possible? Are there ways to facilitate the dissolving of barriers in your own community? What happens to hate when the target of that hate is humanized?

They get alone and get the other sides point of view, there are really no barriers that I know of, but some of the barriers that used to exited still are in some people,

Hate is weekend and people find ways of peace they realized there mistake and find some way to solve it

Since the events of September 11, who has been humanized and who has been demonized by the media or the government? How do these portrayals influence your opinions about appropriate responses?

The U.s have become humanized and demonized at the same time, we lost lot of people and so have they and we are trying to help them, well there other country has become demonized with boomers and other dangers things

Where do our attachments to land come from? Land deeds? Religious texts? Historical events? Military victories? Family ties? Why do we value some kinds of claims more than others? What would you risk to keep the land you live on? What factors influence the amount of risk you are willing to take? Would you risk more to save your church, synagogue, or mosque than to save the local mall? Would you risk more to save your home than to save a sports stadium? Why or why not?

From generations of people, Grate grandfathers and people that lived on that place, all they apply because thats how people get land. We value claims more then others because it tells us some history of where we came from., or maybe our hole life was living there. I wouldnt risk anything because its not my land if I share it would others but we all would come together and risk it all. I think older people would risk having there church ect. Because its religious and mean more then the mall. Yeah I would risk more to save my home because I was raised and lived there my whole life or just got used to it and besides the sport stadium can be recreated

How have the events of September 11 influenced your opinion of risk or your ideas about what you would be willing to fight for? How does it feel to acknowledge the possibility that others can choose to put you at risk whether or not you agree (e.g., a hijacker commandeering your plane or a government compelling you to serve in the armed forces)?

September 11^th has influenced my ideas to open and learn about other people and not judge and to know what others are risking there lives for there home it changed my option on war I still dont like war but sometimes when your home is treating, you must protect your land. If the government is putting me at risk for a good cause I would risk my life, but they are using me for something I dont believe in I would not go I would spend time in jail then go.

All the children in the film live within twenty minutes of one another but they are growing up in separate worlds. Whats different about where the Israelis live and where the Palestinians live? Whats the same? How do the differences produce different perspectives ( e.g., is a checkpoint a reasonable security measure or is it a form of harassment and discrimination; is the parade through Jerusalem an appropriate celebration of a landmark event or an intentional provocation)?

Well there is no possible difference then the laws and what they believe in. They both share the same land , Well the difference perspectives is there religion they both dont trust the other side.

Zack · Member

The things that seem hardest to hear are obviously the ones that are opposite our own beliefs. One side felt Israelis were the cause of the conflict. The other said Palestinians were the cause. Confusion about how the conflict all got started would probably be the main item on each list.

I think Yarko and Daniel's confusion over the conflict is a big indication of their being children. Complex situations aren't easily understood by anyone, let alone children. Common experiences between the children helped them understand each other; finding what we have in common rather than what makes us different would definitely help bridge the gaps between us.

I think I can take comfort in the fact that I've never had to wonder whether or not my bus would be blown up or anything similar. My family hasn't suffered much tragedy aside from losing people to due simply age or happenstance. So I can't really imagine what it feels like to have to ask myself those questions.

When "normal" becomes being surrounded by war, I can see why some of the children became as desensitized towards it as they did. The deaths of the people around you can only affect you so many times before you start to shrug it off. The problem is that having such a brutal environment being considered "normal" means that it's either a fuel for your fear or your hatred. The events of September 11th haven't particularly affected my ability to be a peacemaker, although it has made me more interested in getting involved.

The moments that break down the barriers between the children are generally the ones where they are actually interacting with one another. They speak to each other and realize that there is something human on the other end of the conversation; it isn't simply propaganda. I don't really see a way to dissolve the barriers in New Bedford. It's not as though there's some deep, hidden reason as to why the bad things happen here. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the result of different groups wanting control of land that is considered some of the holiest in the world; New Bedford's gang wars aren't nearly that deeply-rooted. More often than not, the conflicts that happen here are for much pettier reasons. I feel the only way to stop a lot of the violence in this city (or country) would be to sit the leaders in a room with some cops and a mediator standing by so they can work something out.

It's obvious who has been humanized and who has been demonized by the media after Sept. 11th; our military is the good side and the terrorists are the bad guys. I think it's brought a lot of bad light on people from the Middle East. I know that there is a Muslim girl in our school; I often hear people snickering behind her back about how she wears the traditional headwrap. It's rather depressing to think that people actually open their mouths and spout some of the stupid crap they do based on what they see on television.

I think our attachments of land come from a combination of all those things. Obviously my neighbor's house is not my land because of he owns the deed to the land. But it IS a part of America, which is also my home on the national level. My family has lived here for at least three generations on each side. But I don't think any one particular thing decides whether or not a place is our home; in the one way it is not our home, it is in another way. I'd be willing to risk my life for my home; the mortgage on it means my family has a large debt now. Needless to say, I'd also defend my country. As for the two situations provided, I'd rather save a local mall. It's filled with a lot of supplies that we would need to survive if something happened. If the world ended tomorrow, we'd probably head to the mall as a gathering place. Between my home and a sports stadium, I would probably pick my home unless it was some region-wide disaster. My home is already full of people, but stadiums can house a lot more people in emergencies.

The events of Sept. 11th and the war in Iraq have completely changed my feelings on the armed forces and armed conflict in general. Now I'd be a lot less willing to hand over the plane to hijackers or enlist in the military (unless it was a draft). Personally, I believe that the draft is a payment for citizenship. Compulsary military service would not bother me because I think I have received my rights as a citizen and should have to be willing to fight for them if I'm needed.

The different perspectives of the Israelis and Palestinians are complicated. Both are discriminated against by the other side, but the Israelis are obviously the ones in control; Palestinians are confined to special camps. The checkpoints are probably necessary for security, but they can also be easily turned into a form of harassment and discrimination. This makes the Israelis grateful for the checkpoints when would-be suicide bombers are caught, but makes Palestinians resent that their people in general are held as suspects. The protests are another good example because Palestinians put on the parades as a form of claiming the rights to their land. The Israelis, however, see it as Palestinians stirring up trouble. Hence, the beliefs they hold are pushed further because each side does what is expected of them.

Fear plays the role of preventing our compassion for others. It's difficult to treat someone politely when you are afraid they might try to hurt you, if you feel the compulsion to treat them politely at all. I believe that Yarko is justified in wanting to live a normal life; fixing such a complicated situation will not be easy. I don't blame him from wanting to get away from that. This makes things difficult for peace efforts, but not everyone has the strength to spearhead such things. I do not believe that Faraj could avoid thinking about the situation like Yarko. His family was deeply affected by being thrown off their land. It's easy to see when he finally gets the chance to visit the ruins of his grandfather's home.

I personally think more about just getting through the day without doing much work. Because of that, I owe a lot of work in some of my classes. This just makes it worse because then I feel overwhelmed by a large load of work.

I am not particularly religious, but Christian traditions discourage hypocrisy (ie "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone") and violence. These traditions are largely ignored in the conflict because each side uses the propaganda that is useful for pushing what benefits them rather than what does not. I also think these traditions are ignored quite often in our community; the fights, arguments, and gang-related shootings are evidence enough of this. Again, I believe the only real way to pursue peace in our community would be to have a meeting with a mediator and police watching. It's the best way to resolve a lot of conflicts.

Religion in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is used as a means to divide everyone; it is Jew vs Arab, Judaism vs Islam. It's a way to say "you're either with us or you're with them". Their religions are used to pursue the occasional peace effort, but it is largely to make people believe that their violence is justified by the atrocities committed by the other side. The conflict itself is an example of fundamentalist beliefs. The many pursuits of Christian groups to get literature banned in public schools is another. Each action in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is used by one side or the other as a means of pushing their people towards more violence. I don't see an American stepping in and trying to do something with the conflict working; that's up to the people of Israel (on both sides of the conflict) to work something out. Anyone else stepping in would be met with nothing but accusations of support for one side or the other. I think only they can solve their problems.

If I could say anything to any of the speakers, I'd probably say that at this point it doesn't really matter how everything got started; only how it will end matters. This conflict is thousands of years old with horrible things being done to one side by the other. The only way to resolve this is to forgive each other and find a way to move forward rather than shouting at each other. As the saying goes, "There's no use crying of spilt milk."

I believe that the hatred (or lack thereof) in each child comes from what their family has instilled in them. Each child's parents has either distanced themselves or become more strongly opinionated about the conflict. Children mimic their parents, so these children will grow up to feel similarly. Hatred such as this is continued in our own community through people doing stupid things in the name of whatever part of the city they might hail from (hence the Westside/Southside situation).

Mahmoud's suggestion points out something that's easier to understand when it's experienced. I've gotten into my fair share of fights and the only reason why I was more or less reserved about fighting them is because of how well I knew them; some fights I started myself because I barely knew the person while others I wanted to avoid because I got along with the person's family. Getting these people to meet each other and their families would probably deter a lot of them from wanting to hurt each other as they would know how the families of the others would be hurt by their actions.

I would allow my children to participate, but only on the condition that I be allowed to meet with their parents. Doing this would let me protect my children while also allowing me to sort out my own problems with the other children's parents, if possible. The more people that get involved in such projects, the easier it would be to find some link between two people of opposing sides. Others would follow in their example.

The only way to prevent our fears from overtaking us is to hold our judgment until we meet someone involved in the kinds of things we don't approve of. I used to hate criminals because it was against the law and my parents have always raised me to obey it. I still think it's wrong for the same reasons, but now that I'm older and I've actually visited prisons and spoken to prisoners, I can see why they do what they do. Stealing isn't always committed because the thief is a bad man with an evil moustache; rather, he/she might need to money for food or clothing. Obviously this isn't always the case, but having met people in such a situation has changed my outlook on that.

Kara · Member

ecause PROMISES includes expressions of anger, sadness, frustration, and religious dogmatism, as well as descriptions of discrimination and violence, viewers are likely to encounter things they find uncomfortable. As you watch, think about which things are hard to hear and why?

I think it was hard hearing that they wanted their enemy dead when they were so young and I also thought it was sad that they have been exposed to so much violence and lose.

Which things might be hard for someone who disagrees with you to hear and why? If you and your opponent each listed the things that were hard to hear, which things might be on both lists?

It is hard for someone to hear that they are wrong because obviously no know likes to be told theyre wrong. And if we made a list I think that would be a main component.

Were there moments that felt universal or points which seemed to typify childhood? How can we use common experiences to build bridges?

Yes, one common experience they had was losing loved ones or friends and I think that could build a bridge because when they see it is not only them getting hurt they realize that there are innocent people on the other side.

Did you ever have to contemplate things like: Will someone blow up the bus Im about to get on? What will it be like when I have to go into the army? Will they ever let my father out of prison? Has my friends father ever shot at me or someone I love? Will I ever be permitted to leave this place or return to my familys home?

What happens to people when normal means being surrounded by war? What impact does living with daily conflict have on peoples ability to find peaceful solutions? How have the events of September 11 influenced your ability to be a peace-maker?

People who normally are surround by war start to build hate and it is hard resolve it. Sept 11^th for a while changed my views on people from the middle east and even though it was only a handful of people I kind of feared people from the middle east.

There are moments in PROMISES when the barriers between the children seem to weaken. What specific things are happening at these moments or have happened to make these moments possible? Are there ways to facilitate the dissolving of barriers in your own community? What happens to hate when the target of that hate is humanized?

The barriers weakened obviously when the twin boys went to visit Farag because they got to know each other and realized that they were just like them. There really arent many barriers in my community. When hate is humanized most likely people stop hating.

Since the events of September 11, who has been humanized and who has been demonized by the media or the government? How do these portrayals influence your opinions about appropriate responses?

Americans and U.S. troops have been humanized and Middle eastern people have been demonized by the media and government. This I guess plays a part in my views.

Where do our attachments to land come from? Land deeds? Religious texts? Historical events? Military victories? Family ties? Why do we value some kinds of claims more than others? What would you risk to keep the land you live on? What factors influence the amount of risk you are willing to take? Would you risk more to save your church, synagogue, or mosque than to save the local mall? Would you risk more to save your home than to save a sports stadium? Why or why not?

I would probably risk more to save my home because it is a part of who I am, I have a lot of memories there that i don't want to lose.

How have the events of September 11 influenced your opinion of risk or your ideas about what you would be willing to fight for? How does it feel to acknowledge the possibility that others can choose to put you at risk whether or not you agree (e.g., a hijacker commandeering your plane or a government compelling you to serve in the armed forces)?

Honestly I dont like the fact that other people choose to put put you at risk like the war in Iraq i think that the people who are ptting soliders there should go there and fight themselves.

All the children in the film live within twenty minutes of one another but they are growing up in separate worlds. Whats different about where the Israelis live and where the Palestinians live? Whats the same? How do the differences produce different perspectives ( e.g., is a checkpoint a reasonable security measure or is it a form of harassment and discrimination; is the parade through Jerusalem an appropriate celebration of a landmark event or an intentional provocation)?

There are many differences where they live it seems that the Isrealites are more in power however both are treatened, fear and are discriminated against by the other.

What role does fear play in our ability to have compassion for others? Over the course of the film, how do the children change? At the end of the film, what are each childs concerns and why do they differ? Yarko says he really wants peace, but he doesnt think about it day-to-day. Is he justified in wanting to pursue a normal life despite the suffering of others around him? How does this kind of thinking affect prospects for peace? Do you think Faraj could avoid thinking about the conflict the way that Yarko does?

Fear makes people hate one another, the children realize that not everyone is bad. At the end of the film some of the children want the war to end and be friends, however they realise that probably won't happen and pretty much stop making an effort to contact one another, where others still want to kill there enemy. Faraj could avoid conflict but others around are encouraging him to fight.

What kinds of issues do you think about on a daily basis and what do you choose not to see or not to deal with?

I deal with average hgih school drama and I deal with it by trying to aviod sticky situations or just simply ignore things.

The three religious traditions associated with this region (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity) all have sacred texts that value peace. What does your religious tradition teach about peace? Is that tradition reflected in this conflict? Is it reflected in your own community? If so, how? If not, how might you make your traditions pursuit of peace more visible?

I am not really religious however i somewhat believe in god and i think that he wants everyone to be treated fairly and wants no one to suffer, so he sacrificed himself for us. The tradition from this is Easter and this reminds us that he died for us. I dont think it really concerns the community except people with the same religon.

How is religion used in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? To further hate? As a refuge? To inspire action? To provide models of justice? How does the use of religion influence your opinion about religion in general or about a specific religious tradition? Is there a distinction between fundamentalism and religion? Can you give examples of fundamentalist beliefs? What kinds of circumstances contribute to the acceptance of fundamentalist interpretations? What might you do to change those circumstances?

Religion iss used for jusat another excuse for them to hate eachother. They fight over whether or not god really wanted the jews to have the land.

Consider how the following quotes from the film make you feel:

· The Jews kicked us off our land and put us in this camp.Sanabel

· God promised us the land of Israel . The Arabs came and took it!Moishe

· I think this is our country and its also theirs.Yarko

· I dont like talking to Jews. I know them. Theyre mean And deceitful.Mahmoud

· When I see a Jew I want to grab a stone and throw it at him.Faraj

· If I could make my own future, all the Arabs would fly away.Moishe

· We have our army to protect us. We have our firing range. And if the soldiers aim poorly, its okay cause they might shoot an Arab!Moishe

· I support Hamas and Hezboullah. They kill women and children but they do it for their country. The more Jews we kill, the fewer there will be. Until theyre almost gone.Mahmoud

· So we both think of the same thing. We each think of our relatives who have been killed by the other side. So we each want to kill each other!Faraj

· In war both sides suffer. Maybe theres a winner but whats a winner? People on BOTH sides die. Both sides lose.Daniel

· The life we live doesnt allow us to accomplish our dreams.Faraj

If you could say one thing to the speaker, what would it be?

I'd probably tell them that it doesn't matter who started the fight it wasn't you or your father or them or their fathers so why fight soemthing you really had nothing to do with. Life would be so much easier and enjoyable without conflict and fear.

Some of the quotes reflect hatred for the enemy. Where does this kind of hatred come from? Why do some of the children seem to be willing to put aside their differences while others are not even interested in participating in a conversation? What kinds of things happen in your own community that teach or reinforce hate?

This kind of hatred comes from fear because that is exactly what they are, afraid. Because the kids who want to put aside differences are the kids who really want a change and probably come from families they want change while the others are so brainwashed with hate thats all they know

Mahmoud suggests that Peace between you and me is impossible unless we get to know each other What might you do in your own community to facilitate people getting to know each other?

Maybe start an after school club to bring together highschool students of all ethnicities to talk about how they feel about one another ( in a non-hatred way).

The twins parents have to decide whether or not to let their sons visit a refugee camp and Farajs family must decide whether or not to welcome Israeli visitors. The visit represents a danger to both families. Would you let your children participate in such a visit? Would you participate? What kinds of things can we do to prevent our fear from blocking our ability to build bridges?
I am actually not sure if i would let my kids participate just because there is so much danger involved, however i would most likely participate myself. We could make sure that nothing would happen before we went.