Occupation 101 - Voices of the Silenced Majority
Sufyan Omeish & Abdallah Omeish
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 U.S. government, the second Intifada (2000), the Apartheid Wall and the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as well as many heart wrenching testimonials from victims of this tragedy.
Occupation 101 features a leading list of some of the most credible Middle East scholars, historians, peace activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers, including Albert Aghazarian, Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Noam Chomsky, Cindy & Craig Corrie, Richard Falk, Paul Findley, Neta Golan, Jeff Halper, Amira Hass, Rashid Khalidi, Ilan Pappe, Gila Svirsky, Alison Weir, and others.
DVD Bonus Features
- Deleted Scenes: More than 30 minutes, including: Extended history scenes (from the 1900's, 1940's, and 1967), international law, home demolitions, victims of conflict, chain of victimization, Israeli awakening, and much more!
- Approximately one hour of in-depth material, including: Historical footage from Pathe News Archives, testimonies from Bethlehem University, humanitarian actions by the International Solidarity Movement, Jenin Refugee Camp destruction, and more!
Praise & Review
"One of the best documentaries"
--Los Angeles Journal
"A visual revolution is born.. if a picture is worth a thousand words, then Occupation 101 is worth a thousand books."
--InFocus
"Forget what you've seen on CNN; this film delves deeply into seriously painful territory"
--Lansing State Journal
Film Review: "Occupation 101"
--Nadia Elkhatib, Institute for Middle East Understanding
Clip & Official website
Gaza's Reality" (movie clip), on YouTube
Occupation 101 film's official website