Life in Occupied Palestine

Gr 6 Up—Even though the Israeli-Palestinian contentiousness is well into its fourth generation, there seems to be little hope of a long-term peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict. The narrator/producer of this sympathetic insight into the plight of today's Palestinian community possesses a curious background. The Jewish granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she worked for the International Women's Peace Service as it monitored and documented human rights violations ostensibly inflicted by the Israelis. The program presents a nicely condensed background to the current problem as well as a moving representation of the challenges of daily life in the Palestinian sectors. The non-violent Palestinian attempts to protest Israel's firmness in the occupied lands are emphasized. However, little attention is given to the sometimes brutal attacks committed by Palestinians. Deliberately paced narration is supplemented by a variety of contemporary and vintage still photographs and video footage, interviews and first-person accounts, and graphics as the very structured presentation solidly presents its case. It is difficult to discern details in a few of the maps, but that can be easily offset. The program includes a scene selection option, dividing the content into 12 accessible components. If your media collection needs a useful classroom and research program which makes no attempt at impartiality, this title is one to consider.—Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL