Directed by Romed Wyder
The idea of questioning the creation of the State of Israel from the perspective of the western world's responsibility triggers a lot of interest, for it's rarely if ever addressed in a scientific and non sectarian approach.
AND THERE WAS ISRAEL shows how Great Britain, the United States and other European countries were guided by their own agenda as they adopted Zionism in the early 20th century: the hegemony of the West, imperialism, colonialism and the seizure of the Near East. The fate of the Jewish people was secondary, that of the Arabs, and especially Palestinians, tertiary.
The interviewees are historians of international renown: Ilan Pappe (Israel), Eugene Rogan (Great Britain), Riccardo Bocco (Switzerland), and Shlomo Sand (Israel). Assembled, the different points of views of the speakers form a coherent and captivating narrative that is complemented by images of cinematographic and photographic archives. These sources contain some real treasures: there are a huge amount of newsreels, institutional films and propaganda films whose editing and commentary are very revealing. The film then moves on to the origins of the conflict, the rise of political Zionism, the creation of a mythology and finally of the historical facts demonstrating the responsibility of the western world.
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