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BATTLE FOR A HOMELAND
Is Peace Possible in Palestine?
A Two-hour Documentary Special
Battle for a Homeland is a two-hour documentary special that will give a fuller, more nuanced picture of the ongoing struggle between Palestinians and Israelis and answer the question, “Is peace possible in Palestine?”. Through the eyes of Israeli and Palestinian families, and the insights of the most influential scholars and politicians on both sides of the divide, we explore the history of the conflict, uncover the roots of both cultures, and examine the daily realities of this Battle for a Homeland. What are the historical reasons for the conflict? Who are the people making the decisions on both sides? What are the prospects for peace?
At face value, the conflict seems easy to understand: Palestinians and Israelis demand the same piece of ground for their homeland.
Click on the image above to watch promo
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The deeper reality, however, is infinitely more complex, heavily weighed upon by differing ideologies, ethnicities, and religions, as well as three thousand years of violence-filled history. It is a conflict in which both sides have rightfully proclaimed themselves to be victims, creating a seemingly intractable conundrum summed up by Albert Einstein as “a clash between two rights.”
Much of what Americans know of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict comes in sensationalized news clips – the horrible aftermath of a suicide bombing in a Tel Aviv market…the burned out hulk of a Palestinian settlement after a military reprisal…the hate filled proclamations of a wild eyed Hamas radical…the uncompromising Israeli spokesperson. Unfortunately, these images only serve to paint the situation in simplistic shades of black and white, with no attempt to address the deeper questions: Who was the suicide bomber? What would lead him to such a horrific act? Who were his victims? What were their hopes and dreams?
Hour One – Seeds of Conflict
Seeds of Conflict begins with the typical American’s view of Israel -- the shocking, yet sadly familiar images from the nightly news chronicling the aftermath of a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. The audience quickly learns these are anything but simple questions. While the modern animosity between Israelis and Palestinians can easily be pinpointed to the twentieth century, the roots run back for millennia. In the first hour, Battle for a Homeland recounts the tortured history of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, from their Biblical roots and common ancestry, through centuries of invasions and battles, banishments and migrations, to the 1948
establishment of the Jewish State of Israel and displacement of the Arab Palestinian population. It is only through an understanding of this violent, fascinating history that one can begin to comprehend the complex issues facing the modern day negotiators we will meet in hour two, as they attempt to chart a course for peace.
Hour Two – The Search for a solution
In hour two of Battle for a Homeland we take all of the accumulated history of these bitter rivals from hour one and show how it shapes and informs the present situation in the Middle East. It will untangle the twisting path to peace that has evolved between Israel and Palestine. The fight for ultimate control of Jerusalem became a rallying point for both sides, perplexing them at the bargaining table, and driving them away from it. Looking back at the tangled history, winding architecture, and vying religious claims of the ancient city, Battle
for a Homeland will show why Jerusalem turned out to be both a fitting symbol of the complexity of the ongoing struggle and a literal obstacle to finding a peaceful solution.
Battle for a Homeland is a ground breaking documentary that provides an unbiased and
open discussion of the fascinating and complex conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
The two-hour program will be shot on location in HD for a total budget of $300,000. New
footage will need to be secured, but it will also make use of Vision Media Productions
extensive library of HD footage shot in the region over the past eight years. Bringing to bear
their extensive experience filming in the Middle East, Vision Media Productions will examine these important and volatile issues in a balanced and objective way through the perspective of strategists and politicians, religious leaders and scientists, as well as from average people attempting to survive in one of the world’s most dangerous regions, and create an exciting insight into this ongoing Battle for a Homeland.
By Robert Goubeaux
for Vision Media Productions
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