POV

Touching

This documentary does what every documentary should do, namely follow ordinary people who are facing extraordinary circumstances. At first glance, this nursing home looks like any other nursing home: old people in wheel chairs, caregivers, family visits, etc., but one quickly notices that there is something very different about this nursing home. It is a nursing home stuck in a military zone, right across from Israel's separation wall. One of the most touching moments from the trailer is when the old man wants to talk politics and the old woman says, "I just want to go get some oranges." I pity those viewers who will let politics get in the way of a very human story. I ask myself, what would it be like to grow old and spend my last days in a nursing home placed at the center of one of the world's most tragic conflicts.

by Amber
July 24, 2009, 12:32 PM

well done

I'm thankful for any film such as this.The world needs to see this wall of separation for what it really is. It is sick and it's illegal! The Israelis don't even have to look at it from their side it is just a hill with flowers on it, hidden. We need more of these types of films exposing the harsh reality of palestinian life... I just got back from the West Bank, its a very stressful life and this wall is completely horrible.. they never come in contact with each other other than checkpoints and night raids, its discusting and needs to be dismantled immediatly!

by starr
August 7, 2009, 6:11 PM

Tom Curtis

Shouldn't you watch the film and not judge it based on the trailer? The film doesn't offer an overt political critique but only shows how the barriers have created serious problems for the families who have members in this particular nursing home.

by Chuck
August 10, 2009, 10:03 AM

scentient being

I don't have to watch the film or the trailer (I will do both) to see that the type of reaction presented by people like Tom above exposes the extent people will go to mask their lack of empathy leading to genocide.

"We need to save them from themselves" because if we don't have this wall we will really have to destroy them outright when we incur and secure their space. This is the least of all the evils we can do to them. We are really being kinder to them than they deserve because we are in the right and, of course, g-d is on our side.

Where have we heard this before? Where will we hear it again?

peace,
Im Ago

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by Im Ago
August 18, 2009, 7:15 PM

This way up

it's not a fence, it's an apartheid wall. I have been there twice and as a former supporter of Zionism, I have to say..God is not a racist . Palestinians do believe in peace, but not a one-sided peace that gives total control to an occupying force..a force that has an insatiable desire for land and water. Settlements have individual homes with yards and swimming pools on quarter acre lots, while everyone else in Palestine (and Israel!) lives in multi-unit homes, stacked on top of each other with no yards. Educated, moderate people are being driven out by racist policies , occupation and daily humiliations that we Westerners would never tolerate. We'd crack within mere days. i was shocked and offended as an American, a freedom lover, and as a Christian and as one who believes in self-determination and non-violence. Occupation creates more hatred. Go see the wall for yourselves and then decide for yourself. It is shocking. And near Ramallah, there's a checkpoint, and on the Palestinian side of the wall there are pictures of Gandhi painted there. On the Israeli side, there are watchtowers and machine gun nests. Main issue is that Israel was offered 64% of Palestine when Jews were only 12% of the population. They took 78% by force, and in 1967, took the rest. They have killed the two-state solution by occupation. The only viable solution is a secular, single state, with equal rights. Apartheid was wrong for South Africa and it's wrong for Israel and Palestine, too.

by Dima von Geist
August 22, 2009, 1:01 PM

A biased waste of time

Do you folks at PBS realize that thousands of people die each day from AIDS and that millions of people have died from conflicts in Africa over the last few years? Instead of concentrating on these issues which effet literaly millions of people, you just continue to run the same tired stuff you've been running for years about a relatively small-scale conflict. If there weren't Jews involved, no one would have heard of it.

This film was one of the most boring I have ever experiened. It seems that the writer was trying to make some point about how the anti-terrorist fence was inconveniencing people, and that there was some sort of parallel between being old and disabled, and being past the point of enjoying life, to the measures taken to control a border. So what? The Israelis have every right to prevent terrorist attacks which have killed thousands, and protect its citizens and to control who enters the country. The U.S. and every other country has border controls, and many nations (including Arab ones who complain loudly about Israel) have much more extensive barriers in place. The fact that only Israel is singled out for condemnation is highly suspect.

Israelis as well as Arabs are inconvenienced by the situation. They are searched every time they go into any public building (malls, banks, government offices) as well as most stores. Being dead is also a big inconvenience. But looking at this film, you'd never know the reason for the anti-terrorist barrier. The filmmaker seems to think that the Israelis are spending millions of dollars and person-hours on security just to be mean.

The anti-terror barrier will come down when Arab terrorists stop murdering innocent civilians. In the meantime, I'd rather see some people inconvenienced than thousands of people dead. I would hope that any other thinking, feeling person would feel the same.

by Happy and Proud
August 23, 2009, 11:15 PM

Response to other comments

I don't have time to respond to every [aspect of] the above comments but briefly...

Touching, I'm glad you were able to see it as a human interest story rather than political propoganda. Although I'm sure it's difficult to "grow old and spend my last days in a nursing home placed at the center of one of the world's most tragic conflicts", it would be even worse to be old and torn apart by shrapnel while celebrating one of your religion's most important holidays, as were many elderly victims (mostly Holocaust survivors) who were murdered at a Passover celebration a few years ago. While I do feel for the average person who is inconvenienced by the need for a security barrier, I feel even more for the families and the thousands of innocent victims of terrorist acts which have taken place over the past 61 years.

well done - A two-week visit in which you see only one side of a conflict does not make you an expert on this [...]. Guess what, life is stressful all over the Middle East! It's not like the easy life here in the U.S.; if you had actully visited Israel instead of reinforcing your pre-conceived impressions you would have realized that. And exactly what is "sick and discusting" [sic] about saving lives? The U.S. is currently building a 4,000-mile security fence; fences in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Ireland, South Africa and other nations are both longer and higher than the Israeli anti-terror fence. What have you done to protest those other fences, and to stop the U.S. from building ours? Not much, I suspect.

[...]

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by Happy and Proud
August 23, 2009, 11:43 PM

The fence is sad, but what should be done? Should the regular murder of innocents be tolerated so the sensibilities of its critics can be assuaged?

I don't think Israelis and Palestinians will live in peace any time in the near future. The so-called 'settlements' of extremist Jews should be dismantled, Israeli expansionism stopped and a Palestinian state set up. Palestinians should be compensated in full for property confiscated over the years. That won't fix the Palestinian 'problem'. Palestinian society seems dysfunctional and demographically untenable. Extremists Jews think God conveyed them real estate. These folks are not going to live in peace, too many of them don't want to.

An impenetrable wall should separate them. That is the only practicable way for two unreasonable groups to co-exist.

by Joseph Lindsay
August 24, 2009, 10:14 AM

What they need is hope.

What they need in this region is hope. Currently the light at the end of the tunnel is turned off. Aid needs to come in the form of factories being built and in insisting that humans be treated as such...no more, no less. If the young ones had hope for a better future they won't be blowing themselves up. If the elders are given ways and peaceful means to communicate they won't be shaking their heads. Who can do all this? Us, all of us, by writing..., talking..., meditating..., fighting!!!, and agreeing that we are different and the same and that we have only one shot at it...really!@#$%^&*()

by Hala Gheriani
August 25, 2009, 12:33 PM

I guess PBS doesn't want feedback after all

The powers-that-be decided to delete my response to the posters supporting the (biased and inaccurate)view of the filmmaker, for no reason other than it possibly being too long (even though I posted in two seperate comments). My response auatel set the record straight on "scentient being" and "this way up"'s inaccuracies/lies, but apparently a reasoned approach is less acceptable than sound bites and distortions. A complex situation requires more than a few paragraphs. It's too bad, people might have learned something.

It seems this forum is more for posturing and slogans rather than discussion. But since according to PBS there is only one view of the situation, who needs discussion?

I have contacted PBS about this, but I don't expense either a response or being allowed to voice my opinion. No wonder public television contributions are way down.

by Happy and Proud
August 25, 2009, 2:02 PM

A Note from the POV Moderator

We'd like to thank everyone for their comments on This Way Up. Please keep in mind that we will be moderating the comments for obscenity, inappropriate and off-topic content and personal attacks.

We would also like to remind all commenters to focus their remarks to the film This Way Up. This page is not an appropriate forum for a broad discussion about Middle East politics, and comments that are not related to the film will be moderated and/or deleted.

Thanks again.

by Ruiyan Xu
August 25, 2009, 2:41 PM

This Way UP

Thank you PBS for showing such important films that carry so much truth!

by Vivien Sansour
August 25, 2009, 4:02 PM

i really don't see how can you say its best for both sides , isn't that what they said about The Berlin Wall, in my opinion what the Jews( and i say Jews because i don't see Israel as a real country but and occupation of Palestinian land) are doing is building a giant prison around the Palestinians which gives them total control over them, when ever they want they can cut water and food supply and any life essentials which puts pressure on them .

if you doubt this go there and see for your self on top of the hills Jewish families have water and pools and on the bottom Palestinian people live in great poverty which is the best example of what is the real purpose of this wall.

by SilentNight
August 25, 2009, 5:51 PM

What is it all about

There is one everlasting lesson we should never forget:

Walls come down.
Occupation ends.
Invaders are eventually evicted.
Good always wins.
Evil always loses.
Where is the Roman Empire? Where is Hitler? Where is the Berlin Wall? Where is the Soviet Union? Where is Marx? Where is George Bush?

by David Thorninzide
August 25, 2009, 8:38 PM

The ugliness the US denies

Having seen this in person and reading alerts from the Jewish Voice for Peace, I can assert the wall does not bring security, only more festering hate. It is a wonder that there are not more terrorists bred but the Palestinians who lives have been so afflicted are far more humane then Israeli zionists. Thanks heavens for the voices of Jewish peacemakers who condemn this holocaust.

by Jeri Young
August 25, 2009, 10:24 PM

Great movie. Appeals to anyone who is interested in an honest human-interest story.

by DB
August 25, 2009, 11:01 PM

i am imigrany from bosnia and i witnessed similar strugle, and this movie moved me in very deep way! it is telling us a real story bout human suffering and stuff we can not change, and sometimes just take it as it is! it rases many questions , and above all we can ask why? but answer is in those beautifull silent pictures the director masterfully captured!
remarkable, stunning, beautifull, bitter! hat down!

by igor spreckic
August 25, 2009, 11:08 PM

very happy with my decision to watch pbs tonight. what a great, subtle film. about real people in a conflict we usually only hear brash reporting about

by interesting
August 25, 2009, 11:13 PM

Don't miss it - 5 stars

Excellently done beautiful moving and poignant, a must see documentary.
Tell your friends, - I hope PBS will broadcast it again (I did not check yet).
Ask your PBS station to show it, or show it again if they already did.
Disregard the reviews with all the "one sided" nonsense complaints coming from the (too) slowly diminishing "Israel is always right, can never be wrong" crowd.

by Eldad
August 25, 2009, 11:14 PM

Brilliant!

Sweet...touching...beautiful and so disturbing. People so royal, so filled with pride and humour, in spite of it ALL.

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by Boghos Nubar
August 25, 2009, 11:16 PM

it is ignorant to say that this story is one-sided story. to me the movie deals with simple destinies of people caught in the crossfire, people who acctually have nothing to do with the whole thing! it doesnt want to sneak in some hidden political message like some viewers might think. it is simple but powerfull story! it is bout those people there and not why they got there. anyway i cant help but love it. great film making!

by igor spreckic
August 25, 2009, 11:32 PM

More pro arab bias.

Just finished watching This Way Up - a new low for PBS. A conflict as old and intense as this one requires an evenhanded, non-prejudicial examination. Clearly this was not presented. The author never addressed why the Israelis constructed the fence. (Their citizens were being blown up by terrorists in vegetable markets, coffee shops, and pizza parlors). The author used an old age home to create a heart wrenching portrait of life. Blame the Israelis (czarist Blame the Jews?) and their fence for all the old arabs' problems. An equally heart wrenching portrait of life could be filmed in any old age home.

The fence saves lives. We should all support its existence.

by Jeff
August 25, 2009, 11:37 PM

bravo for this film

I am writing to thank you for showing this powerful, yet oh so poignant, film. What it showed is more than tragic, it is wickedly absurd. I'm glad to see a film that shows the human side of having to live with that dreadful wall. I also appreciate the honesty with which the film showed how Israeli soldiers detain people, and restrict people from LIVING any kind of NORMAL life. And what they are doing is in the name of Judaism? The prophets of old would be mortified if the could see! Films like this will help to finally raise awareness among the American public, which is largely clueless about what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people -- because our media has been so saturated with pro-Israel fabrications of the truth. Thank you again for showing this film!

by Kathleen Parker
August 25, 2009, 11:39 PM

the telling moment

The telling moment in this film comes when the elderly Arab woman says: "If my son was killed, I'd destroy the world." Now imagine the counterpoint to this boring, contrived setup of a propaganda piece: instead of shots of Israel's "wall" we'd see the results of Arab aggression against Israelis: shattered buses and pools of blood and pieces of body parts scattered. Seems to me the people in this film are lucky that Israel's response was simply to build a barrier.

by Nes Gahas
August 25, 2009, 11:46 PM

it made me cry

by jay
August 26, 2009, 12:15 AM

selective history

walls are like national boundaries - built, established and maintained by the rich and powerful, to keep the little people, the working class, divided and so conquered.

the reason this film will probably suck is because it addresses all the wrong questions, points toward all the wrong conflicts and has been produced by and influenced by rich and powerful media moguls, from whom, once upon a time, PBS insulated itself, being entirely funded by viewers' donations.

there are peace-loving working people all over israel/palestine but they are not in control over their own destiny. nations and their govts have been co-opted by the massive, multi-national war industry conglomerates, whose advertisement agency is world MainStreamMedia (MSM), whose buzz-phrases for the endless war are Fighting Terrorism, Fighting for Democracy, Fighting for Freedom, Fighting for Peace.

president eisenhower once said that people want peace so badly that some day, govts would step out of the way and let them have it. he was a blind optimist. without a worldwide workers' walkout/strike, with the demand that the wars end or the wheels of industry stop turning, the endless war and slaughter and deprivation and waste of precious resources that we could be using to save lives - all this will continue until the 7 billion earthlings have been reduced to a relative handful, ruling over another handful.

we are sick, our planet is sick, our reality is sick. greed has ruined everything.

by rich andrews
August 26, 2009, 12:58 AM

Not enough

This has got to be the most boring-est documentary I have ever seen.

What did I learn from it:
1. A wall is being built for protection
2. A senior home is directly affected
3. Divides families, communities, affects business
4. Unfair authorization practices
5. Creates inconvenience

Most of this film time is wasted on long observation shots.
For example, at the beginning, do we the viewers really need to see that truck move slowly from one end of the screen to the other?

This documentary barely scratches the surface.
The director probably knew this as well. This is what happens when you don't have enough content research to work with - you buy time by filming scenery and nonsense scenes, such as giving the viewers a point of view lens of a kaleidoscope, looking upon the old folks.

Too bad I continued tuning in after watching the most satisfying back-to-back NOVA episodes on the black hole and a Mexican boy who crossed the border illegally, later to become a brain surgeon.

by me
August 26, 2009, 2:01 AM

pov this side up

sadly beautiful.....how man has not still been able to find its humanity....walls are to be taken DOWN .. not built! Everyone loses in this situation....

by joe pierzchalski
August 26, 2009, 2:03 AM

TIHS WAY UP

Well done. There was no statements for or against the wall by the film maker. It was just the simple showing of life in a Palestinian area.
Isreal does not like any publicity on their handling of these people. It is truelly apartied! But with the absolute support of the US nothing will ever change. And yes most of the news we receive here in the states is highly filtered.
The problem has always been that the worse the Isrealis treat the palestinians the more likely it is to create animosity with the arab world which I believe will lead to nuclear war. It is all very sad.

We just need to formulate more love and understanding through communication. Good job folks!!! May God keep both the Israelis and Palestinians free from harm.

by david
August 26, 2009, 2:29 AM

We pay for Ireal's ruthlessness toward others.

The wall is shocking. That we can not stop Israel from putting it up is shocking. What Israel is doing to the Palestinians has brought on this whole sorted mess. It is wrong. I found myself very upset watching this because I continue to be stunned that my tax dollars are funding this small country's ruthlessness toward other peoples. Give back the land. Grant people dignity. Let them be a State. Stop this nonsense.

by Suz
August 26, 2009, 2:30 AM

The wall must come down

Such a sad place to be? Israel took the land from Palestine, occupied them to the level of rebellion? Forced them to poverty? Put walls around them? There such a beautiful race and need the U.S.A. to stop acting like they care when it's us who pore in hundreds of millions of dollars to occupy them, destroy them? Great film, love PBS...

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by Pit Bull Revolution
August 26, 2009, 2:44 AM

This side up

Oh! God when will it end!! It is depressing to see that human confinement. Those people have no visitors because their families are restricted to movement. Think you are old and no one can visit you and no where to go. I think we lost our humanity and rationality that power and force are the only response that resolve our problems. I do not want to live pointing hate towards anyone, but I would like to learn and teach love and understanding for those who suffer under injustices. It is not Palestine or Israel fault; it is all over the world that common sense and humanity diminished. As one of the old man said, " This is not life, there is no lite at the end of the tunnel." It showed that we argue and finger point based on our biased, but we do not want to confront the truth. They said if you poke somebody skin with a knife, you will not feel the pain. The same is true for these people who live under a wall and controlled by police in their day to day life and want to share their fear and worries and some are not feeling their internal cry. I support POV because it just shows the outcry of the people who want to be heard and the world will be the judge.

by sam
August 26, 2009, 3:03 AM

Simple and Sweet

This was a simple and sweet observation from the Palestinian Point of View. Yes, it was biased, but what's not. I am sure an Israeli POV would tell a different story, and perhaps a sadder one. But that's not the issue here. The issue revolves around humanity, not politics. I wish we could all see that.

by Hani
August 26, 2009, 3:05 AM

producer/writer/actress

thank you!

you have opened my heart, my spirit ....my mind.....i may not have any answers but my desire to grow in compassion has become stronger.....you! you have shifted my heart!

thank you so very very much

with warm aloha
c

by christina simpkins
August 26, 2009, 5:12 AM

To PBS Moderator

Many comments on this board are political and have little to say about the film itself. Read the comments from "scentient being" (accuses Israel of "genocide", "this way up" (no mention of the film at all), "silentnight" (accuses Israel of building a "prison" in order to deny "life essential"), "brilliant" (personal attack), etc. - at least half the comments on the board are primarily political in nature. If you're going to allow the comments, you should allow responses to those comments.

Not allowing responses is certainly favoring one side over the other - the anti-Israel side can write what it wants, and the pro-Israel side is not allowed to respond. I thought PBS was supposed to be unbiased.

by Happy and Proud
August 26, 2009, 6:49 AM

A Reminder from the Moderator

We'd like to remind everyone that this is a space to discuss the film This Way Up. POV appreciates your comments on this film, and we'd like to keep this space productive, safe and engaging.

Please note that personal attacks on other commenters will not be tolerated.

From this point on, any comment that attacks another commenter or does not deal directly with This Way Up will be removed.

Thanks again.

by Ruiyan Xu
August 26, 2009, 10:08 AM

To PBS Moderator

Do you mind either leaving my comments up or letting me know what the problem is? You have my email address. It's rude as well as unethical to just delete what you don't like if it doesn't violate any quidelines. If you feel my posts are "too political", then you should also delete the other posts I pointed out that are entirely political. Some of them are by people who admit that they didn't even see the film, so please don't try to tell me that they are 'film-related'.

by Happy and Proud
August 26, 2009, 10:55 AM

dishonest

The film is dishonest because it is designed to create assumptions and arouse anger at Israel's security barrier without providing any context or facts about it. Viewers who feel the tug at their heartstrings might be disturbed were they to learn the full extent of the Arab establishment's racist incitement against Jews, which prevents the possibility of peace and sends the snipers and killers over the border with the approval of the Arab society.

by Nes Gahas
August 26, 2009, 11:32 AM

The Truth

Any war is bad. But the Israeli / Palestinian conflict is never ending! Up until recently, the media has only shown one side of this problem. Innocent people are the main victims! REPEAT: INOCENT PEOPLE ARE THE MAIN VICTIMS!!! How many days of curfew? How many days of not being able to go to work to support their families? And how many days not to see a loved one? We all know the loneliness of a nursing home here in the states. What about there, a prison with not just a wall, a concrete barrier twenty feet high. Unbelievable! Thank you for this film. Thank you for the truth! Keep them coming!!!

by Sheilia Alfakhori
August 26, 2009, 11:43 AM

Amazing Filming

This was an amazing documentary. I was very touched by the humanitarian side shown. The people shown were real. I loved how a few were annoyed by the cameras following them yet pleased by the treats they were given. This has also opened my heart and inspires me to show more compassion toward the elderly. I was so impressed by the filming. The camera showed a side of the world not many people are aware of. I enjoy and love all the POV films I have seen. Very touching.

by Tasha Wallace
August 26, 2009, 11:55 AM

This way up.

A very sad story, some people's in the should thank God for them not being in a world like that, if only the young one learn on both side that they must stop this madden.

by Jesse C. Anderson
August 26, 2009, 3:26 PM

Subtle and haunting

After watching this documentary last evening, I wanted to say that it was both subtle and haunting. As someone dealing with eldercare (and nursing homes) myself, I found the vignettes both moving and a point of common experience for many people. This was not at all a biased or doctrinaire piece. Rather, it was lyrical, beautifully filmed, and left the viewer to draw her or his own conclusions. An excellent documentary, thanks!

by Janet Claus
August 26, 2009, 7:34 PM

The reason for the wall is mentioned...

The reason for the wall is mentioned... by a resident in the nursing home, Mary, who could not often see her son because of the wall. She said she understood the need for protection. All in all, this lady could be upheld as a role model: despite the fact that she appeared to have very little mobility, and did not see her beloved son very much, she was always smiling, and optimistic.

by Marie Eddy
August 26, 2009, 9:19 PM

Call this what you. I just saw a comment saying that this is a "one sided" POV. I disagree. If you watch this with an open mind you'll see what the wall means to each "side". To me it's obvious that the wall is a perverted attempt at protection. In my opinion if you think that this is a good idea, think again.

by Mark
August 27, 2009, 2:43 PM

Surprising Title - Great Film

I watched this not knowing what to expect, but quickly got caught up in what I believe the film maker was going after - it's not just a political thing (the wall) or about politics - it's about what happens when ordinary people on both sides caught up in politics and circumstances beyond control, and how sad it is for all involved. I loved this film. My heart goes out to both sides, Israelis and Palestinians. I was interested to see all the different human stories play out. I was especially sad to see that old age in Our Lady of Sorrows Nursing Home isn't a whole lot different than that I've seen in my own country: good people working and living in difficult situations. Those scenes, both touching, funny, and sad, really brought back memories for me of the days when I worked in such places. I was particularly glad to see the fiesty old woman who fussed about everyone getting Yvonne (the old lady always singing about the holy Virgin) to sing with her.

by Joana
August 27, 2009, 7:37 PM

Its a prison not a wall.

When israel controls its entire border water ways and everything and everyone that wants to enter its no wall its a prison. This is what happens when you have a body of preople who think they are right and the rest of the world is wrong. This wall and how we here in the USA are paying for it is the reason there will never be peace on this earth and the arab and Muslim world will always see us and israel as the true terrorist. I wish that the real truth would be shown on the US networks. Unfortunately we know who realy controls media and our government in our country. thank you pbs for showing a sliver of the horrible things that israel and the US continue to do.

by Rafael Hernandez
August 27, 2009, 9:33 PM

*****

heartbreaking, honest, and raw. the camera barely stands between us and the face of humanity most vulnerable, capturing perhaps what we all dread most: being old and helpless and slowly dying. life in a home for the aged, where people are isolated and hanging to life by a few threads, is a painful metaphor for the palestinians living under israeli occupation. the world recognizes the bombing of civilians in gaza as war crimes; but the fact that adult children of residents of an old age home are looking over their shoulders, scurrying up and down ladders, and facing intimidation (and worse) by young israeli soldiers--merely because they are attempting to visit their aging parents--is equally chilling and cruel. the sections of wall winding through--and destroying--communities, surely look like tombstones and the palestinian people are being buried alive.

by Susan Goodman Jackson
August 27, 2009, 10:35 PM

This wall is one of the most anti-human things that i have ever seen.
it also makes me cry.

by low
August 28, 2009, 12:20 AM

EXCELLENT DOC. MOVIE

EXCELLENT . IT TOUCHED MY HEART

by SAM
August 28, 2009, 7:23 AM

Refuting the Allegations - 2nd Try

Hopefully this response to some posters' allegations won't be censored for being 'off-topic' (though why the response is considered 'off-topic' by PBS when the original allegation isn't is unclear)...

-The statistics and so-called facts set forth by "this way up" are WRONG. At the time of Partition, British Palestine was 1/3 Jewish and 2/3 Arab. Jerusalem was 55% Jewish. After the 1948 war, the Arabs ended up with over 2/3 of the land and the Jews 1/3. (The 17% figure is from 1931, after years of restricted Jewish and unlimited Arab immigration, and before large-scale immigration by both groups).

The implication that Jewish towns have swimming pools and are 'rich' while Arab towns have no pools and are 'poor' is also baseless. Adjusted for family size, Israeli Jews and Arabs have almost the same income (Arabs are slightly less); the reason more Arabs are poor is because of their larger family size. Both Israeli Arabs and the Arabs in Judea/Samaria have, respectively, the highest standard of living in the Arab world. There are many swimming pools in Arab towns, including Judea and Samaria, which by the way were built by Israel.

Finally, the accuse Israel of "genocide" is not only libelously untrue, it is a desecration of the memory of every victim of true genocide, whether in Europe, Turkish Armenia, or Rwanda.

by Happy and Proud
August 28, 2009, 8:19 AM

9 Out Of 10 Terrorists Say: The Fence Saves Lives!

Hamas terrorists admit that the anti-terror fence has foiled operations; it has kept literally millions of people save and has saved thousands of lives. To those concerned about the inconvenience to 'innocents'-what about the innocent Jews whose lives are saved? Do they not 'count' in the equation? And why was the fence erected in the first place? - because of terror attacks that killed thousands of people over the last few years alone. For those who want the fence to come down, demand that the Palestinian Authority stop arming 'fighters' to kill innocent people. As soon as that happens, the fence will come down.

And while most of the Arabs shown in the film seem loving and good-hearted to each other...many Palestinians were literally dancing in the streets after 9/11! Why are posters more concerned about those who rejoice in the death of innocent Americans than in stopping the terror that caused those deaths?

by Happy and Proud
August 28, 2009, 8:35 AM

To Happy and Proud

Happy and Proud, It seems to me you do not know anything about both Math and history, I really recommend that you go back to school again For one simple reason. The statistics you are talking about make no sense, because 100 % of Jerusalem were Palestinian Arab. 10 % were Arab jews and around 25 Christian and the rest are muslim. You should not deny the fact the jews were suffering in Europe and they were shipped into Palestine in 1942. Thats why when you go to Israel now, which I am sure that you are there now, Some of the Israelis are from Russia , America , France , Italy etc... and they speak different languages. So do not mess things around genius. The other fact is, I totally agree the wall prevented sucide bombing, but you can not say THOUSANDS OF ISRAELI KILLED IN SUCIDE BOMBING , they are less than 120 casulties. Strengthen your math BUDDY. and the Other thing , Why the wall shoulkd be ina palestinian land whereas the israelis could go back 5 km in thier forests areas( Palerstinian Ori9ginally ) to build thier wall. and Shaloom

by Sam
August 28, 2009, 6:48 PM

Eye opening

I really enjoyed the watching this documentary. While a nursing home makes for a depressing setting regardless of it's location, you can't help but feel the magnified suffering this wall has created for countless people.

Well done.

by Laura P
August 28, 2009, 11:16 PM

Know the Facts

Readers, look up the facts for yourselves (on a neutral site, not an anti-Israel/anti-Jewish site); ignore the drivel by posters who cite absurbd "statistics". The percentage of Jews in Jerusalem in 1948 and the number of terror victims is easily verifiable. And Jews were barred from entry during the 1940's, had it not been for that then millions fewer would have perished. Look at the facts, not who slings the most mud.

by Happy and Proud
August 29, 2009, 10:49 AM

Peace

Proud and Happy
Now, you are in the right direction. all of us should read and learn more about that issue or conflict(occupation). No body can deny the suffering of jews, but the point i am trying to make do not make other people suffer. All of us should be rationale and safe human race from that ignorance of war. People are created to live not to fight. we should not forgie facts or deny them. Wrong is wrong. we are in a world of globalization culture. we all should be looking for ways to support peace and stability to every human being regardless , race religion,gender, and ethnic groups. by doing that , everyone should live happily. Odd people are everywhere, but they are few and we should not follow them or their steps. My friend Proud and Happy , you should be proud and happy when violence and killing or terror are completely denied and stopped, Be happy when you see people suffering stopped. All I wish that everyone push towards peace and stability and evryone condemn terror and violence.

by SAM
August 29, 2009, 1:18 PM

This Way Up

I was disturbed by this film, not by the wall, which I have seen, but by the utter lack of any discussion of the need for its existance. Yes, the elderly "victims" of the wall are experiencing disruption to their lives as do the everyday Palestinians......however the wall is intended to reduce terrorist attacks on CIVILIANS by Palestinians. Period. End of discussion.

by Felicia Alexander
August 29, 2009, 8:26 PM

GOOD web site to read more about the confliuct

REaders here is a web made by Americans .
http://ifamericansknew.org/ . Hope this will help to understand more about this confliuct.

by Sam
August 30, 2009, 12:22 AM

Wonderful film!

Beautiful film – very touching and well done. It left me wanting to spend time with the individuals, know them better and hear their stories. This wasn’t a film about the Arab-Israeli conflict – that would have been a very different film. It’s just a glimpse into the lives of a small group of people affected by the conflict. It didn’t leave me angry about the injustices on either side, but thoughtful. (That in itself is a beautiful thing about the film, because normally a story about “the conflict” would leave me angry). I wondered what can be done on a smaller scale (without trying to solve the entire conflict)? How can the problem of family members seeing each other be resolved? I wondered about funds to relocate the nursing home to a place where it would be easier for family members to get to, and where they wouldn’t have their homes overshadowed by such a physically ugly wall. But then, how would Jad get to his favorite fruit tree; and, what would each individual affected think about that idea? Mostly, though, I just wanted to spend more time with the people we briefly met in the film.

by Linda
August 30, 2009, 6:18 PM

Thank You

Thank you for this beautiful film. It gives me hope to know that there is people with courage to create this kind of documentary and expose themselves to the loud and irrational voices of injustice and cruelty. It is in a line of documentary films showing the historical legacy of Israel's slow and deliberate process of ethnically cleansing Palestine in order to create a racist "democratic" Jewish state. For those who support the Zionist project of creating a Bantustan state, please wake up and stop this cruelty. Please don't use the cliches of "terrorism" and anti-Semtism to defend an Apartheid state. It does injustice to those Jews lost to Fascists to justify an Israeli state built on the destruction of another society.

by Khaldoun
August 31, 2009, 1:13 AM

This Way Up

Sadly, this "This Way Up" program is extremely one sided, not showing the reasons why the Israeli gov't spent hundreds of millions, reluctantly, to put up this barrier to the numerous Palestinian suicide bombers, who were blowing up old age homes (Passover, Haifa, several years ago, killing about 30 elderly Israelis, many Holocaust survivors of Hitler's concentration camps), murdering dozens of teenagers blowing up a Tel Aviv teen dance hall, etc. Weekly, these suicide bombers just walked across fields, thru Jerusalem to blow up pizzaries, coffee shops, murdering hundreds of Israelis, and never did Arafat or any Palestinian leader try to stop them, or express sympathy.

by Harold
September 1, 2009, 12:12 AM

This documentary was completely accurate, a native Palestinian myself, I can assure you. Following the lives of ordinary Palestinians, this film allows an inside perspective to what is really going on. Absolutely amazing.

by Hannah
September 2, 2009, 12:02 AM

Compassion

I am an observant Jew and I loved this movie. Compassion is supposed to be the hallmark of our people. These frail elderly were so eloquent and graceful as they expressed themselves. I will never forget the woman who could not move her hands to feed herself, the beauty of her words. This wall must come down in order for there to be peace. Those who live in fear, in hate make a wall too high for themselves to cross. It is time to listen, to the voices of the voiceless. Thank you for showing us this movie. I would like to get a copy.

by Bas Levi
September 2, 2009, 8:40 PM