The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the US + My Neighborhood

media release: This month, we’ll show two films about Israel and Palestine.  The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the US (2016, 45 min) & My Neighborhood (2012, 25 min)

Thursday, Jan 25, 6 pm, Central Library, 201 W Mifflin St, Room 302. Social time at 5:30, films roll at 6 pm, then discussion following the films. Free popcorn. RSVP if you can to warabolition@gmail.com.  

Sponsored by Madison Veterans for Peace – Chapter 25, Madison for a World BEYOND War,  Madison-Rafah Sister Cities Project, and Jewish Voice for Peace – Madison.

We’d love it if you come out to watch these very moving films with us on January 25, so we can be together and talk.  But you can watch them for free online too.

About the films –

The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the US (2016, 45 min)

Polling shows strong global opposition to Israel’s illegal 50-year occupation of Palestinian land, and mounting outrage over Israel’s ongoing slaughter of unarmed Palestinian civilians who are fighting for their rights. Nevertheless, public sympathy and support for Israel within the US continues to hold strong. The Occupation of the American Mind zeroes in on this critical exception, breaking down the devastatingly effective public relations war that Israel and right-wing pro-Israel advocacy groups have been waging for decades in the US. Narrated by Roger Waters and featuring leading observers of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the film explores how the Israeli government, the US government, and the pro-Israel lobby have joined forces, often with very different motives and interests, to shape American media coverage of the conflict in Israel’s favor. The result is a stunning look at how — and why — American media coverage of the conflict regularly minimizes the occupation, vilifies critics of Israeli policy, and dehumanizes the Palestinian people.

My Neighborhood (2012, 25 min)

Mohammed El Kurd is a Palestinian boy growing up in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah in the heart of East Jerusalem. When Mohammed turns 11, his family is forced to give up part of their home to Israeli settlers, who are leading a campaign of court-sanctioned evictions to guarantee Jewish control of the area.

Shortly after their displacement, Mohammed’s family and other residents begin holding unarmed protests against the evictions, determined not to lose their homes for good. In a surprising turn, they are quickly joined by scores of Israeli supporters who are horrified to see what is being done in their name. Among them is Jewish West Jerusalem resident Zvi Benninga and his sister Sara, who develop a strong relationship with Mohammed and his family as they take on a leading role in organizing the protests.

Through their personal stories, My Neighbourhood goes beyond the sensational headlines that normally dominate discussions of Jerusalem and captures voices rarely heard, of those striving for a future of equality and pluralism in the city.