Paradise Now, He Said

If you a rabid believer in the legitimize of the Jewish state of Israel, you probably are not going to like this story of two young men who are going to become human bombs for their cause of Palestinian independence. On the other hand you and all of us should watch this film that takes us into the minds of people that go into combat where they know they are going to die, in fact, you will be pulling the trigger on yourself.

There is little doubt that most of us when we hear of someone blowing themselves up in a crowded area, wonder how you get to that place in your head. Most of us would die for our kids, our family or in military service, but to strap a bomb to you body and get on a bus or to walk through a market place knowing that you're going to kill all of the people around you gets into the area of the unthinkable. We have to think that there is a better way to confront a problem that would pose such a solution. This is the question that this film attempts to answer.

These young men have never really know freedom. Their parents and grandparents are the ones who were eyewitness to the birth of the Jewish State. What they know is the camp mentality and prison atmosphere of the West Bank Settlements. What they know is the one sided history of a people in search of what they believe is their homeland. What they know is that fulfillment of their ancestors dream is being prevented by the Israel. To them the face of Israel is the border guards and soldiers, who humiliate them and remind them of their subjugation.

In the beginning of the film we meet two very bright and hardworking young men, who are trapped in jobs that are below their capabilities, but there are no opportunities in this place. When they get the news that they have been selected to carry out a mission of vengeance they celebrate the opportunity. However as they prepare for their mission, they waffle back and forth on the question of are they doing the right thing. Much of this indecision comes not from a lack of personal bravery, but their concern and love for each other.

Their voice of reason resides in the character of a young women who is the daughter of one of the hero's of the resistance and is attracted to one of our fighters,. She is adamant that this kind of resistance is futile and counter productive in that it only infuriates their enemy and turns the rest of the world, outside of Islam, against them. The difference here is that she has lived and traveled outside of the West Bank and has seen the enemy and know them for what they are, people just like them.

She tells them that wasting their lives for the movement is crazy and in the end will have no effect. For the moment neither of them is moved. In an almost keystone cop telling of events the moment of decision is finally reached. Will they become one of the nameless and forgotten hero's of this kind of warfare or will they turn back and work for meaningful peace?

Because of this film, I no longer wonder why people become suicide bombers. I don't condone it. I still believe that it doesn't serve their cause nor does it do anything but needlessly take useful innocent lives. However, if in order to negotiate a peaceful ending to this terrible conflict, we need to understand the mindset of the combatants, this film gives us plenty to think about.