So many of the world`s problems today seem to stem from the Israel/Palestine confrontation. BZ Goldman and Justine Shapiro`s Oscar nominated documentary Promises, presents the psychology of the situation among young people. It takes on seven kids who live within 20 minutes of each other in contemporary Israel - three Arab and four Israeli - two of the Israeli`s are twin boys.... Yarko and Daniel. The seven range from secular Jews to sports loving Arabs like the West Bank-based Faraj who only wants the chance to return to the particular village of his ancestors, from ultra-Orthodox Jews like Schlomo to Mahmoud the Jeruslam-based hardline Arab, or Sanabel whose father, an activist for an independent Palestine has been held in prison in Israel for two years without any charges being laid against him....... The issues are many and varied. The situation in the Middle East seems from this insight to be intractable. Sport is the only thing that seems to engender empathy, religion certainly doesn`t. I don`t know that this documentary sparks hope of a resolution, but it`s well-constructed, moving at times, and really depressingly insightful all through.
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