''Occupation 101: Voice of the Silenced Majority'' is a 2006 documentary film on the

Israeli–Palestinian conflict The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict about Territory, land and self-determination within the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine. Key aspects of the conflict include the Israeli occupation ...

directed by Sufyan Omeish and Abdallah Omeish, and narrated by

Alison Weir Alison Weir ( Matthews) is a British author and public historian. She primarily writes about the history of English royal women and families, in the form of biographies that explore their historical setting. She has also written numerous wor ...

, founder of ''

If Americans Knew If Americans Knew is a nonprofit organization based in Riverside County in Southern California that focuses on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the foreign policy of the United States regarding the Middle East, offering analysis of Americ ...

''. The film focuses on the effects of the

Israeli occupation Israel has occupied the Golan Heights of Syria and the Palestinian territories since the Six-Day War of 1967. It has previously occupied the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and southern Lebanon as well. Prior to 1967, control of the Palestinian terr ...

of the

West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...

and

Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...

, and discusses events from the rise of

Zionism Zionism is an Ethnic nationalism, ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in History of Europe#From revolution to imperialism (1789–1914), Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish and maintain a national home for the ...

to the

Second Intifada The Second Intifada (; ), also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada, was a major uprising by Palestinians against Israel and its Israeli-occupied territories, occupation from 2000. Starting as a civilian uprising in Jerusalem and October 2000 prot ...

and

Israel's unilateral disengagement plan In 2005, Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip by dismantling all 21 Israeli settlement, Israeli settlements there. As part of this process, four Israeli settlements in the West Bank were dismantled as well. The disengagement was executed unil ...

, presenting its perspective through dozens of interviews, questioning the nature of Israeli–American relations—in particular, the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and the ethics of US monetary involvement.Official Website of Occupation 101
See th
multimedia page
for movie clips. ''Occupation 101'' includes interviews with mostly American and Israeli scholars, religious leaders, humanitarian workers, and

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

representatives—more than half of whom are

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

—who are critical of the injustices and human rights abuses stemming from Israeli policy in the West Bank,

East Jerusalem East Jerusalem (, ; , ) is the portion of Jerusalem that was Jordanian annexation of the West Bank, held by Jordan after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, as opposed to West Jerusalem, which was held by Israel. Captured and occupied in 1967, th ...

, and Gaza.

Cast

The entire list of featured interviews:Occupation 101 :: Interviewees
From official Occupation101.tv site. * Dr. Albert Aghazarian, Director of Public Relations at

Birzeit University Birzeit University () is a public university in the West Bank, Palestine, registered by the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs as a charitable organization. It is accredited by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Mini ...

, Palestinian Armenian * Ambassador James E. Akins, Former U.S. Ambassador to

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

* Rabbi

Arik Ascherman Arik Ascherman (; born 1959) is an American-born Israeli Reform rabbi, and executive director of the Israeli human rights organization Torat Tzedek-Torah of Justice. For 21 years, starting in 1995, he served as co-director (1995–1998), executi ...

Rabbis for Human Rights Rabbis for Human Rights is an Israeli human rights organization that describes itself as "the rabbinic voice of conscience in Israel, giving voice to the Jewish tradition of human rights".

(Israeli group) * Dr. William Baker (theologian), Christians and Muslims for Peace * Bishop Allen Bartlett, Jr., Diocese of Washington * Phyllis Bennis,

Institute for Policy Studies The Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) is an American Progressivism in the United States, progressive think tank, formed in 1963 and based in Washington, D.C. It was directed by John Cavanagh (economist), John Cavanagh from 1998 to 2021. In 202 ...

, and co-chair of the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation * Peter Boukaert, Director of Emergencies at

Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...

* Sharon Burke, Former Advocacy Director of

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...

* Professor

Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a ...

, linguist,

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...

Professor. * Father

Drew Christiansen Andrew Joseph Christiansen (February 20, 1945 – April 6, 2022) was an American Jesuit priest and author. He was Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Human Development at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service, a senior fe ...

United States Catholic Conference The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 2001 after the merger of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Co ...

* Cindy and Craig Corrie, parents of the late solidarity activist

Rachel Corrie Rachel Aliene Corrie (April 10, 1979 – March 16, 2003) was an American nonviolence activist and diarist. She was a member of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and was active throughout the Israeli-occupied terr ...

* Douglas Dicks,

Catholic Relief Services Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the Bishops of the United States, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 110 ...

in Jerusalem, outreach program director *

Richard Falk Richard Anderson Falk (born November 13, 1930) is an American professor emeritus of international law at Princeton University, and Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor's Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In 2004, he was listed as the autho ...

, 2001 United Nations Fact-finding Commission in the West Bank and Gaza *

Paul Findley Paul Augustus Findley (June 23, 1921 – August 9, 2019) was an American writer and politician. He served as United States Representative from Illinois, representing its 20th District. A Republican, he was first elected in 1960. A moderate Repu ...

. U.S.

Congressman A member of congress (MOC), also known as a congressman or congresswoman, is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The t ...

, 1961–1983 * Thomas Getman,

World Vision International World Vision International is an interdenominational Christian humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1950 by Robert Pierce as a service organization to provide care for children in Korea. In 1975, emerge ...

* Neta Golan, Israeli co-founder of International Solidarity Movement *

Jeff Halper Jeff Halper (; born 1946) is an Israeli-American anthropologist, author, lecturer, and political activist who has lived in Israel since 1973. He is the Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) and a co-founder of The On ...

Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) () is a group opposed to Israeli settlements, which describes itself as "an Israeli peace and human rights organization dedicated to ending the occupation of the Palestinian territories ...

Amira Hass Amira Hass (; born 28 June 1956) is an Israeli journalist and author, mostly known for her columns in the daily newspaper ''Haaretz'' covering Palestinian affairs in Gaza and the West Bank, where she has lived for almost thirty years. Biogra ...

, Israeli journalist, ''

Haaretz ''Haaretz'' (; originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , , ) is an List of newspapers in Israel, Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The paper is published in Hebrew lan ...

'' * Doug Hostetter,

Fellowship of Reconciliation The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR or FOR) is the name used by a number of religious nonviolent organizations, particularly in English-speaking countries. They are linked by affiliation to the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR). ...

* Kathy Kamphoefner, Christian Peacemaker Team * Adam Keller,

Gush Shalom Gush Shalom () is an Israeli peace activism group founded by Uri Avnery in 1993. Avnery–a former journalist, Irgun and Knesset member–also led the organization till his death in 2018. In 2010, the American Friends Service Committee has desc ...

, Israeli Peace Group * Hava Keller, Woman's Organization for Political Prisoners (Israeli group) * Professor

Rashid Khalidi Rashid Ismail Khalidi (; born 18 November 1948) is a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East and the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. He served as editor of the '' Journal of Palestine St ...

School of International and Public Affairs The School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) is the List of schools of international relations in the United States, international affairs and public policy school, public policy school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League univers ...

, Columbia University *

Peretz Kidron Peretz Kidron (; 29 July 1933 – 6 November 2011) was an Israeli writer, journalist and translator. Biography He was born in Vienna, the son of Sara and Herman Kirchenbaum aywho were devoted Zionists and supporters of the Jewish state. His fam ...

, Israeli journalist,

Yesh Gvul Yesh Gvul (, can be translated as "There is a limit", as "There is a border", or as "Enough is enough") is an Israeli movement founded in 1982 at the outbreak of the Lebanon War, by combat veterans who refused to serve in Lebanon. Yesh Gvul's ca ...

(Israeli peace group) * Rabbi Michael Lerner, Founder & editor-in-chief of '' Tikkun'' magazine * Rabbi Rebecca Lillian, Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace * Roger Normand, Center for Economic and Social Rights * Allegra Pacheco, Israeli human rights lawyer * Professor

Ilan Pappe Ilan may refer to: Organization *ILAN, Israeli umbrella organization for the treatment of disabled children Given name * Ilan (name), a Hebrew/Israeli name * Ilan Bakhar, a retired Israeli footballer * Ilan Araújo Dall'Igna, a Brazilian football ...

, Israeli historian –

University of Haifa The University of Haifa (, ) is a public research university located on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. Founded in 1963 as a branch of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of Haifa received full academic accreditation as an inde ...

(now

University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of ...

) * Dr.

Eyad al-Sarraj Eyad El-Sarraj (; 27 April 1944 − 17 December 2013) was a Palestinian psychiatrist. He was a consultant to the Palestinian delegation at the Camp David 2000 Summit, a recipient of the Physicians for Human Rights Awards and featured in ''Army of ...

, prominent

Palestinian Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenous p ...

psychiatrist * Yael Stein, B'Tselem, Israeli human rights group * Gila Svirsky,

Coalition of Women for Peace The Coalition of Women for Peace () is an umbrella organization of women's groups in Israel, established in November 2000. It describes itself as "a feminist organization against the occupation of Palestine and for a just peace.". CWP says that ...

, Israeli * Ambassador

Edward Walker Edward Walker may refer to: * Edward Walker (cricketer) (1816–1857), English academic and cricketer * Edward Walker (mathematician) (1820–1893), English applied mathematician * Edward Walker (officer of arms) (1611–1677), British officer of ...

, Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel * Alison Weir, Founder of

Awards

The film has won several awards from various

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

s. * Winner of the "Golden Palm" Award (highest honor given by jury) and for "Best Editing" at the 2007 International

Beverly Hills Film Festival The Beverly Hills Film Festival (BHFF) is a film festival in the United States founded in 2001 by independent filmmaker Nino Simone. The festival is an international competition dedicated to "showcasing the art and talent of emerging filmmakers ...

. * Winner of the 'Artivist Award' for Best Feature Film under the category of Human Rights at the 2006 Artivist Film Festival & Awards in Hollywood. * Winner of the Best Documentary Award (Special Recognition) at the 2007 New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival. * Winner of the Best Feature Film Award at the 2006 River's Edge Film Festival.River's Edge Film Festival review of ''Occupation 101''
* Winner of the Best Documentary Feature Award at 2006 The Dead Center Film Festival. * Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at 2006

East Lansing Film Festival The East Lansing Film Festival is the large film festival and second oldest in the state of Michigan. It screens over 100 films in 9 days, including several shorts programs. It is held yearly, usually in early November. The focus is to present a d ...

. * Winner of the John Michaels Memorial Award at the 2006 Big Muddy Film Festival.

References

External links

*
Free Movie Broadcast in High-Definition
* {{IMDb title, 0807956
Film review: "Occupation 101"
Maureen Clare Murphy, ''The

Electronic Intifada ''The Electronic Intifada'' (''EI'') is an online Chicago-based publication covering the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. It describes itself as not-for-profit, independent, and providing a Palestinian perspective. History ''EI'' was founded in ...

,'' Jun 27, 2007.
Film Review: "Occupation 101"
Nadia Naas Elkhatib,

Institute for Middle East Understanding The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) is a 501(c)(3) pro-Palestinian non-profit advocacy organization. Founded in 2005, it received a grant from the Washington-based Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development in 2006 for E ...

, Oct 19, 2006.
"Film explores Israeli-Palestine conflict"
By Gloria Er-Chua. October 19, 2007. ''

The Queen's Journal ''The Queen's Journal'' is the main student-run newspaper at Queen's University at Kingston in Kingston, Ontario. The paper was founded in 1873 and has been continually publishing ever since. It is as old as ''The Harvard Crimson'', the oldest ...

.'' 2006 films Documentary films about politics American independent films Documentary films about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict 2000s English-language films 2000s American films English-language documentary films