Vice News - Resistance In The West Bank (2013)Vice-aNaRCHo.avi

In RESISTANCE IN THE WEST BANK we follow Alex Miller as he investigates the dual nature of resistance that is being played out on the streets of towns like Ramallah and Nablus in Palestine. On one hand, Palestinian citizens are protesting the settlers- calling for them leave- while on the other, they are challenging the rule of the Palestinian Authority- who they feel is more concerned about protecting the interests of Israel than they are those of Palestinians.


Vice was actually invited by the Palestinian Authority to cover Palestinian Youth Week- an event that was supposed to highlight protests and sports related events around the West Bank. But this ends up to be quite bizarre- and as such, Alex heads off on his own to find out what the Palestinian youths are really up to.



We start by tagging along with a graffiti artist who risks his freedom to spray paint anti-PA slogans on the walls of his town. He tells us of how the local population is turning against the PA, as their tactics shift toward pandering to Israel, and cracking down on armed resistance.



Next we hit the "political conflict tour" where scores of white westerners are moving around the Palestinian Territories meeting with popular (political) martyrs and joining in protests. Alex participates in a protest to block roads to Jewish settlements. This is more about harassing the settler population than it is to prevent them from accessing their settlements. As soon as police arrive, the protesters pack up and run to a different area- resulting in a revolutionary game of cat and mouse.



Throughout, we witness how Palestinians are subject to systematic harassment by Israeli forces, while the (illegal) Israeli settlers are allowed to go about their daily business; how some believe peaceful protest is the best approach, while others think armed revolt is absolutely necessary; and how the PA seems to be attempting to castrate- or at least control- the protest movements carried out by their citizens.

In the end, we see how- lacking solidarity- the Palestinians are fighting a two pronged battle- against Israeli settlers and themselves. Which, if anything, isn't doing justice for anyone and preventing them from effectively achieving their goals.

Uploader: Abdurrahman Bashar(Abr007)