FORGET what you THINK you KNOW

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Synopsis

A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike any other film ever produced on the conflict -- 'Occupation 101' presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the never ending controversy and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions.

The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the role of the United States in the conflict, and the major obstacles that stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace. The roots of the conflict are explained through first-hand on-the-ground experiences from leading Middle East scholars, peace activists, journalists, religious leaders and humanitarian workers whose voices have too often been suppressed in American media outlets.

The film covers a wide range of topics -- which include -- the first wave of Jewish immigration from Europe in the 1880's, the 1920 tensions, the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the first Intifada of 1987, the Oslo Peace Process, Settlement expansion, the role of the United States Government, the second Intifada of 2000, the separation barrier and the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as well as many heart wrenching testimonials from victims of this tragedy.

Featured Interviews

Occupation 101 features a leading list of some of the most credible Middle East scholars, historians, peace activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers.

Dr. Albert Aghazarian

Director of Public Relations at Bier Ziet University. He is the most prominent Palestinian Armenian figure -- Headed press centre during Madrid conference.

Ambassador James Akins

Former (1963-1965) Attache at the US Embassy in Baghdad; Former (1973-1975) US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Rabbi Arik Ascherman

Executive Director of Rabbis for Human Rights - an organization of Israeli rabbis committed to defending the human rights of all people in Israel and in the territories under Israeli control.

Dr. William Baker

Former Professor of Ancient History and Biblical studies. Founder of Christians and Muslims for Peace.

Bishop Allen Bartlett, Jr.

Assisting Bishop (2001-2004) of the Diocese of Washington. The Episcopal Diocese of Washington comprises 93 Episcopal congregations in the District of Columbia and the Maryland counties of Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles and Saint Mary's.

Phyllis Bennis

Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies. An author, analyst, and activist on Middle East and UN issues. Helped found and co-chairs the U.S. Campaign to End Israeli Occupation.

Peter Boukaert

Director of Emergencies at Human Rights Watch -- the largest human rights organization based in the United States. He has conducted extensive fact-finding investigations into human rights abuses in the West Bank (Israeli Occupied Territory).

Sharon Burke

Former Advocacy Director with Amnesty International -- a Nobel Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with over 1.8 million members worldwide. Amnesty International undertakes research and action focused on preventing and ending grave human rights abuses worldwide.

Noam Chomsky

Institute Professor Emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. An Author and Analyst of Global Affairs including, US foreign Policy, and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Author of "The fateful triangle: the United States, Israel, and the Palestinians."

Father Drew Christiansen

Former director of the Office of International Justice and Peace, United States Catholic Conference (91-98) and served as counselor on international affairs from (98-04). He traveled to the Holy Land numerous times to investigate the on-the-ground reality facing the Palestinian Christian community.

Cindy and Craig Corrie

Parents of late peace activist Rachel Corrie -- who was killed by an Israeli Bulldozer while protesting the destruction of a Palestinian doctor's home. Founders of the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice.

Douglas Dicks

Visitor Outreach program director Catholic Relief Services in Jerusalem. His work brings him in direct contact with patriarchs and priests as well as with elected government officials, human rights groups, and prominent members of both Palestinian and Israeli societies

Richard Falk

Served on the United Nations Human Rights Fact-finding Commission (2001) to investigate international law violations and human rights abuses in the West Bank and Gaza. Author and former Professor of International Law at Princeton University.

Paul Findley

United States Congressman (1961-1983). Founder and Chairman of the Council for the National Interest. Author of "They Dare to Speak Out" and other books.

Thomas Getman

He served as director of World Vision's programs in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (1997-2001). Currently, he is director of humanitarian affairs and international relations -- and is responsible for diplomatic relations with UN government member missions in Geneva.

Neta Golan

Israeli peace activist and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement. A peace movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles.

Jeff Halper

Co-founder of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and a Professor of Anthropology at Ben Gurion University. He has researched and written extensively on Israeli society and Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands.

Amira Hass

Israeli Journalist living and working in the occupied territories, she writes for Ha'aretz -- an Israeli daily newspaper. She is the author of "Drinking the Sea at Gaza: Days and Nights in a Land under Siege."

Doug Hostetter

He worked as an Interfaith Peacebuilder for the Fellowship of Reconciliation and took part in delegations to Israel/Palestine to learn from Palestinian and Israeli peace activists and experience directly the situation of Palestinians living under military occupation.

Kathy Kamphoefner

She worked with the Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron (West Bank) -- which embraces the vision of unarmed intervention waged by committed peacemakers ready to risk injury and death in bold attempts to transform lethal conflict through nonviolent means.

Adam Keller

Spokesperson of Gush Shalom -- an Israeli Peace Group which has played a leading role in determining the moral and political agenda of the peace forces in Israel, as well as in breaking the so-called "national consensus" based on misinformation.

Hava Keller

Israeli peace activist and founder of Women's Organization for Political Prisoners -- established with the objective of helping female political prisoners who struggle against Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory. She was also a soldier who served during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Rashid Khalidi

Director of the Middle East Institute - School of International and Public Affairs/Columbia University. Author of "Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness" and "British Policy towards Syria and Palestine" -- among other books.

Peretz Kidron

Spokesperson of Yush Gvul -- an Israeli peace group campaigning against the occupation by backing soldiers who refuse duties of a repressive or aggressive nature. He is an Israeli peace activist, freelance journalist, and author of "Refusenik!: Israel's Soldiers of Conscience."

Rabbi Michael Lerner

Rabbi of Beyt Tikkun and editor of TIKKUN magazine -- A Bimonthly Jewish Critique of Politics, Culture and Society. In 2002, He founded The Tikkun Community which brought hundreds of people to Washington, D.C. to a Teach-In to Congress on Middle East Peace.

Rabbi Rebecca Lillian

The spiritual leader of Temple Beth Or in Miami, FL. She was previously co-chair of the Jewish Peace Forum and, under its auspices, organized Jewish peace delegations to Israel and the West Bank. She is currently on the Rabbinic Cabinet of the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace.

Roger Normand

Roger Normand is co-founder and executive director of the Center for Economic and Social Rights in New York, and has led recent human rights missions to Iraq, Afghanistan and Israel and Palestine.

Allegra Pacheco

She is an American-born Israeli attorney who works on the front lines and defends Palestinians in Israeli courts against house demolitions, land confiscations, torture, and illegal detentions. Her litigation won an Israeli Supreme Court banning certain torture methods in Israel.

Ilan Pappe

An Israeli-born lecturer from Haifa University. Through his life experiences and scholarly research he came to challenge the common historical narrative of his state. He is one of the so called 'New Historians' who in the late 1980s exposed the 1948 ethnic cleansing Israel carried out in Palestine.

Dr. Iyad Sarraj

A prominent Palestinian psychiatrist who has undergone extensive research about the mental health condition of children living and Gaza. He is the director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program.

Yael Stien

Research director of B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group -- established in 1989 by a group of prominent academics, attorneys, journalists, and Knesset members. It endeavors to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories.

Gila Svirsky

An Israeli peace campaigner for more than 15 years, lives in Jerusalem. She is a founding member of the Coalition of Women for a Just Peace, a grouping of eight Israeli and Palestinian women's peace organizations.

Ambassador Edward Walker

His diplomatic career includes positions as US Ambassador to Israel (1997-1999), the Arab Republic of Egypt (1994-1997), and the United Arab Emirates (1989-1992). He also served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs under the Clinton administration.

Alison Weir

American freelance journalist who has traveled independently throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. She founded If Americans Knew and frequently lectures throughout the United States to misinformed and uninformed citizens on one of the most significant issues affecting them today.

Source:
www.occupation101.com