Ad-Busting the Occupation

[eumelia]

As some of you know, Israeli cell phone company Cellcom released if not one of the most offensive ads I've had the misfortune of viewing, then at the very least, one of the most cynical portrayals of the Occupation in media for a long time.

You can watch right here, via YouTube:

If you have to ask why this ad is offensive, do not be afraid to ask (I'm not being sarcastic), really do.
It may not be overly apparent for some.

The West Bank village on Bil'in, which has been demonstrating and protesting against the wall for over four years now, put together a brilliant response for this fucked up add.
This is what really happens, which the IDF returns the ball:

If you need to ask why what is portrayed in this video is fucked up, please, go read an Occupation 101 manual or something and educate yourself please.

Questions will be answered seriously, should you actually have any.

I'm no expert, I just say it as I see it and think it.

Comments

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

I already knew we were the most just army in the world, but that ad confirms that. Moreover, as you can see here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90A_voqtxUU), the other side is actually much less fun than portrayed in the commercial. So anybody who thinks this ad is offensive לא יודע מהחיים שלו.

[whereisjoy.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that you posted this. I'd recently seen the commercial and i'm thrilled there's a response from bilin.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Too true.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

When I first saw the ad I literally saw RED.

Having seen the response video made me no less livid, but I'm glad that the real story is also publicised.

[whereisjoy.livejournal.com]

yeah, that's just how I feel.

[beckyzoole.livejournal.com]

I see why it's offensive, but I also like the underlying message of tolerance and friendship.

In the ad, Israelis first assume that anything coming from the "enemy" must be dangerous. Then they discover that the "enemy" is really much like them. They interact in a friendly manner. This is the right thing to do, the necessary first step towards peace.

Yes, in real life, most Israelis do not take that step.

But having the ad around as a role model is a positive thing, in my opinion. It may encourage more people to act in just that way -- friendly interaction, instead of lashing back out of fear.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

the underlying message of tolerance and friendship.
That's not the underlying message. The underlying message is "Why can't we just all get along", utterly ignoring why in fact nobody's getting along.

But having the ad around as a role model is a positive thing, in my opinion. It may encourage more people to act in just that way -- friendly interaction, instead of lashing back out of fear.
It's not friendly interaction. There's a normalising factor here. That the separation wall isn't really such a bad thing, that the IDF is filled with fun-loving football crazy boys, the the "enemy behind the gates" shouldn't be seen or heard and nothing more than a form of entertainment for soldiers - paralleling real life in the most cynical way I've ever seen.

[beckyzoole.livejournal.com]

It's not a bad thing, in and of itself, for there to be a strong fence or even a wall on a country's border. The US has the same thing along much of its border with Mexico.

Even the border between the US and Canada, perhaps the most peaceful border in the world, is marked with fences for much of its length.

Isn't the existence of fences and walls marking the border a clear signal that Israel no longer wishes to annex the West Bank, that it is seen as a separate territory? Isn't that a step towards ending the occupation?

The only problem with the current fence/wall system, as I see it, is that it does not always follow the border itself. Certainly there are places where the borders might need to be "adjusted", but they should not always be adjusted to encroach on Palestinian territory only!

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I won't comment on the situations between the US, Mexico and Canada, as my knowledge of the border relations is limited.

Isn't the existence of fences and walls marking the border a clear signal that Israel no longer wishes to annex the West Bank, that it is seen as a separate territory? Isn't that a step towards ending the occupation?
It would be a clear signal if the wall and fence itself didn't, in fact, appropriate land, if the border control was mutual and not under sole Israeli (either governmental or private) control.
Not to mention that the continuous building of settlements within the "border" has continued regardless of Netanyahu's (hot winded utterly empty) speech regarding that issue.

Another, bigger problem with the Wall/Fence is the total segregation of the Palestinians from Israel, making it convenient to forget about the fact that actual people suffer from being surrounded by a wall of concrete two stories tall and a fence patrolled by trigger happy 18 year old kids - kids who are there to "protect" the settlers from the "scary Arabs" who more often than not need protection from the settlers.

[beckyzoole.livejournal.com]

The border control truly ought to be mutual.

But why is it a problem to segregate Palestine from Israel? As an independent country, it will need to develop its own industries and resources.

Again, look at other countries. The US/Mexican border has long lines at the border crossings, as US guards carefully inspect people and vehicles. (Sure, they're looking for drugs, not explosives, but it takes just as long.)

Once you have borders that are recognized and secured by both sides, then you can have orderly border crossings, tourists going back and forth, import/export firms, etc.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

But why is it a problem to segregate Palestine from Israel? As an independent country, it will need to develop its own industries and resources.
It wouldn't be a problem if Israel which currently unilaterally controls the border, actually enabled the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority to develop itself in a sustainable way.
At this point, the West Bank (and Gaza) is a "Bantustan" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantustan).

The borders is one of the "six issues"* surrounding the conflict, which cannot be resolved until Israel stops being an occupying force, which the Palestinians are not, to make an understatement.

*The borders, water, the refugees (i.e. the right of return), Jerusalem, security and the Settlements.

[tinyrevolution.livejournal.com]

I thought it was questionable enough when someone on my journal equated the separation wall with the US-Mexico border, but to see someone using that equation to DEFEND the wall??

*blink*

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Yeah... that was a bit strange and I'm glad I decided to steer clear of that can of worms.