Review of Budrus (2010) by Walter M — 10 Oct 2010

"Budrus" is an illuminating documentary on many levels. To start, it is about everyday life and the complicated politics of the Occupied West Bank that we rarely get to see. Ayed Morrar lives with his family in the small village of Budrus that is in the path of the proposed security wall, meant to keep Israel safe from terrorists.

With views from people in both Israel and the West Bank, nobody disputes the need for the wall, even though I could think of a few reasons off the top of my head. What is under dispute is the path of the wall as it cuts deeply into Palestine, including the cemetary in Budrus, and would call for the destruction of vast amounts of olive trees that the village relies on for their livelihood.

As a result, Ayed arranges for peaceful protests that first only consist of men, with the women joining them later. The protests are not for the weak of heart as injuries are possible as the protestors have to face down not only construction equipment but soldiers deployed to defend them with rubber bullets and tear gas.

(Actually, Ayed has spent time in jail and as a fugitive for being a activist.) The protests get much more attention from the press corps when they are joined by international activists. Then, Israeli activists join the cause which is the most important development of them all.

Because now it is now longer just "us" versus "them," as the pronouns get dropped and the villagers become friends with people they could never have imagined befriending. At this point, I realize just about anything is possible.