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Part 4: A Space to Talk | Conflict Zone


was born in Jerusalem this is a place

was born in Jerusalem this is a place where division and comfort are as old as

where division and comfort are as old as

where division and comfort are as old as the city itself

the city itself

the city itself I’ve devoted my life to breaking down

I’ve devoted my life to breaking down

I’ve devoted my life to breaking down the walls that divide Israelis and

the walls that divide Israelis and

the walls that divide Israelis and Palestinians here

Palestinians here

Palestinians here for me that means making space for us to

for me that means making space for us to

for me that means making space for us to listen can you tell me a little bit

listen can you tell me a little bit

listen can you tell me a little bit about the daily life Israelis go through

about the daily life Israelis go through

about the daily life Israelis go through have you got attacked here by settlers

have you got attacked here by settlers

have you got attacked here by settlers can you tell us a little bit of what’s

can you tell us a little bit of what’s

can you tell us a little bit of what’s happening

happening

happening [Music]

[Music]

[Music] the most familiar face of this conflict

the most familiar face of this conflict

the most familiar face of this conflict are these dramatic images of violence

but the real-life day-to-day impact you

but the real-life day-to-day impact you goes much deeper for many Israelis it’s

goes much deeper for many Israelis it’s

goes much deeper for many Israelis it’s a constant sense of insecurity and fear

a constant sense of insecurity and fear

a constant sense of insecurity and fear a bus stop that’s ten minutes from my

a bus stop that’s ten minutes from my

a bus stop that’s ten minutes from my house get calmed three times

house get calmed three times

house get calmed three times get blown up for Palestinians it’s a

get blown up for Palestinians it’s a

get blown up for Palestinians it’s a deep feeling of oppression and injustice

deep feeling of oppression and injustice

deep feeling of oppression and injustice on my own land I’m not allowed to have

on my own land I’m not allowed to have

on my own land I’m not allowed to have running water I’m not allowed to have

running water I’m not allowed to have

running water I’m not allowed to have electricity

these personal narratives are at the

these personal narratives are at the heart of this conflict I moved here when

heart of this conflict I moved here when

heart of this conflict I moved here when I was 15 to Jerusalem within the first

I was 15 to Jerusalem within the first

I was 15 to Jerusalem within the first couple of months of moving here there

couple of months of moving here there

couple of months of moving here there were three people stopped within my

were three people stopped within my

were three people stopped within my neighborhood and several cars burn

neighborhood and several cars burn

neighborhood and several cars burn outside of my house I wouldn’t into

outside of my house I wouldn’t into

outside of my house I wouldn’t into terrible shock every time as a kid it’s

terrible shock every time as a kid it’s

terrible shock every time as a kid it’s a 15 year old I would go to school I

a 15 year old I would go to school I

a 15 year old I would go to school I constantly look behind me because I was

constantly look behind me because I was

constantly look behind me because I was convinced I was going to be stopped I

convinced I was going to be stopped I

convinced I was going to be stopped I was gonna be killed in a way we’ve

was gonna be killed in a way we’ve

was gonna be killed in a way we’ve gotten used to living in a country

gotten used to living in a country

gotten used to living in a country that’s not safe so there’s a certain

that’s not safe so there’s a certain

that’s not safe so there’s a certain stress level that we accept a certain

stress level that we accept a certain

stress level that we accept a certain danger level that we accept as our daily

danger level that we accept as our daily

danger level that we accept as our daily lives that we shouldn’t I had a terrible

lives that we shouldn’t I had a terrible

lives that we shouldn’t I had a terrible nightmare

nightmare

nightmare as a kid that everyone was just going to

as a kid that everyone was just going to

as a kid that everyone was just going to come and torch our house that sense of

come and torch our house that sense of

come and torch our house that sense of fear of being destroyed annihilated is

fear of being destroyed annihilated is

fear of being destroyed annihilated is with everybody all the time

you cannot plan for the next day

you cannot plan for the next day the moment you wake up in the morning

the moment you wake up in the morning

the moment you wake up in the morning you want to open the tap and make it a

you want to open the tap and make it a

you want to open the tap and make it a cup of tea there is no wood then you

cup of tea there is no wood then you

cup of tea there is no wood then you want to bring your children to school

want to bring your children to school

want to bring your children to school just as a normal family in any weary of

just as a normal family in any weary of

just as a normal family in any weary of the world then you face a roadblock but

the world then you face a roadblock but

the world then you face a roadblock but if not a roadblock you face a checkpoint

if not a roadblock you face a checkpoint

if not a roadblock you face a checkpoint you face this reality on the ground day

you face this reality on the ground day

you face this reality on the ground day by day so you feel them like they are

by day so you feel them like they are

by day so you feel them like they are not living there their childhood as

not living there their childhood as

not living there their childhood as children the soil is a tag Gaza from the

children the soil is a tag Gaza from the

children the soil is a tag Gaza from the sky by f-16 anybody can be destroyed any

sky by f-16 anybody can be destroyed any

sky by f-16 anybody can be destroyed any car can be bombed at any time my

car can be bombed at any time my

car can be bombed at any time my children were asking about what is

children were asking about what is

children were asking about what is happening here I couldn’t answer the

happening here I couldn’t answer the

happening here I couldn’t answer the question I don’t know what to say it was

question I don’t know what to say it was

question I don’t know what to say it was a problem for me to go to my work to go

a problem for me to go to my work to go

a problem for me to go to my work to go to the hospital because every time they

to the hospital because every time they

to the hospital because every time they say please don’t go to the work we are

say please don’t go to the work we are

say please don’t go to the work we are afraid they were afraid about me to be

afraid they were afraid about me to be

afraid they were afraid about me to be injured

injured

injured [Music]

[Music]

[Music] it makes me terrified to think that my

it makes me terrified to think that my

it makes me terrified to think that my my children are gonna have to serve in

my children are gonna have to serve in

my children are gonna have to serve in the army and are gonna have to go

the army and are gonna have to go

the army and are gonna have to go through the same kind of experiences and

through the same kind of experiences and

through the same kind of experiences and that we’re just not going to grow and

that we’re just not going to grow and

that we’re just not going to grow and change the situation for the better you

change the situation for the better you

change the situation for the better you know every human being on this earth

know every human being on this earth

know every human being on this earth dreams of being independent has you know

dreams of being independent has you know

dreams of being independent has you know lived in dignity and in freedom with all

lived in dignity and in freedom with all

lived in dignity and in freedom with all neighbors

so I don’t want my children to grow up

so I don’t want my children to grow up the way I grew up

the way I grew up

the way I grew up for sure there is the end of the story

for sure there is the end of the story

for sure there is the end of the story the end of the story said that to nation

the end of the story said that to nation

the end of the story said that to nation the Palestinian and assailing should

the Palestinian and assailing should

the Palestinian and assailing should have the agreement and should find the

have the agreement and should find the

have the agreement and should find the solution for this compact I think that

solution for this compact I think that

solution for this compact I think that at the end of the day people are people

at the end of the day people are people

at the end of the day people are people and we only wanted to live in peace and

and we only wanted to live in peace and

and we only wanted to live in peace and we want to feel safe in our homes and

we want to feel safe in our homes and

we want to feel safe in our homes and safe in our streets somewhere insiders

safe in our streets somewhere insiders

safe in our streets somewhere insiders were hoping we can live side-by-side

they don’t blow each other as human

they don’t blow each other as human beings

beings

beings we know each other as enemies we cannot

we know each other as enemies we cannot

we know each other as enemies we cannot overcome hatred with hatred no you

overcome hatred with hatred no you

overcome hatred with hatred no you cannot overcome evil with evil

I grew up protesting in this road my

I grew up protesting in this road my brother was arrested and he was taken to

brother was arrested and he was taken to

brother was arrested and he was taken to Israeli jail I was 10 years old when he

Israeli jail I was 10 years old when he

Israeli jail I was 10 years old when he died my experience here showed me that

died my experience here showed me that

died my experience here showed me that you can’t watch a conflict and do

you can’t watch a conflict and do

you can’t watch a conflict and do nothing about it

nothing about it

nothing about it you must act to make a difference these

you must act to make a difference these

you must act to make a difference these people are so divided I try to create

people are so divided I try to create

people are so divided I try to create ways for them to find common ground

children and the opposite sides of this

children and the opposite sides of this conflict

conflict

conflict rarely meet

rarely meet

rarely meet [Music]

[Music]

[Music] I’ve organized the soccer game to bring

I’ve organized the soccer game to bring

I’ve organized the soccer game to bring them together and the same feel

them together and the same feel

them together and the same feel each team has both Israelis and

each team has both Israelis and

each team has both Israelis and Palestinians

Palestinians

Palestinians this is Mohammed this is Yousef

this is Mohammed this is Yousef

this is Mohammed this is Yousef [Music]

[Music]

[Music] this soccer game might not change the

this soccer game might not change the

this soccer game might not change the world they actually might not even leave

world they actually might not even leave

world they actually might not even leave it being friends however they will learn

it being friends however they will learn

it being friends however they will learn that those on the other side are also

that those on the other side are also

that those on the other side are also human beings just like them

I don’t want them to grow up just

I don’t want them to grow up just thinking of themselves and the other as

thinking of themselves and the other as

thinking of themselves and the other as enemies but rather seeing the

enemies but rather seeing the

enemies but rather seeing the possibility the potential of what can be

possibility the potential of what can be

possibility the potential of what can be created here

created here

created here [Music]

you

you [Music]

”

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