Martin Ginestie

In Defense of the Rocket

Martin Ginestie

French director Martin Ginestie arranges these powerful scenes according to chronology and subject matter to emphasize the iterative nature of the peace process, the repetitive images echoing persistent deadlock. In quick succession we see brief segments of Yasser Arafat shaking hands with countless world leaders, including Bill Clinton; of men throwing rocks, of blood on the streets; of explosions on city streets; and of Arafat being carried to his grave. Then the tragedy starts all over again, but with new protagonists. Now it is the Palestinian president Abbas who is shaking countless hands – with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and so on. But it does nothing to stop the bombs raining down on the cities, destroying houses and refugee camps.