MovieChat Forums > La battaglia di Algeri (1967) Discussion > Not Iraq, but Israel

Not Iraq, but Israel

posted 17 years ago by buzoncontacto
13 replies | jump to latest

I`ve been thinking for quite a long time that the current situation of Israel and Palestine reminds strongly of Algeria in the 50s. In both cases we have an artificial state, bearing a divided population of Muslim locals and Western settlers. In both cases, westerners keep the country submitted through violence and discrimination, and in both there is a phisical segregation of both communities.
Whenever you hear about some Muslim leader crying for the "end of Israel", just think it is not the first time: French Algeria and those millions of Algerian westerners were also wiped away from history. And it took 130 years to achieve it.

[–] crushtv-1 17 years ago

Nonsense. Israel will continue to build settlements and build walls around them. When they get tired of trying to broker a settlement with the Palestinians, and the land they hold is at last the defensible boundaries of their country, they will build a wall around the whole thing, and let the Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza burn themselves down. I guarantee the Jordanians and Egyptians will build walls also in order to protect themselves from the Palestinians.

Ultimately, someone will get the bright idea to store weapons in the Dome of the Rock and accidentally blow the whole thing up. Israel will never let them rebuild.

If the Palestinians lob motars into Isreal, the Israels will bomb the Gazans and West Bankers to glass and no one will care...least of all the Syrians, Egyptians, Jordanians, and Lebanese.

See? Its nothing like Algeria because the Israelis don't see all of Palestine as part of their national identity (not most of them anyway). They don't want to hold all of the West Bank. They certainly don't want Gaza. And America doesn't want any territory in Iraq. It just wants the region to stop growing exploding people that come to the US to do it. Some people learn all the wrong lessons from history.

[–] 10030970 17 years ago

Only saw the movie 1st time today after having it on films to watch for ages and I couldnt help seeing the similarities between Algiers and the Palastine problems but there is a major difference that struck me; unlike the French who could in general return to France where do the Israelis have to return to? Pretty scary when you realise that they have no where other than Israel.

Great movie that makes you think and deserves an even higher place in the top 250.

[–] critterdom 17 years ago

"If the Palestinians lob motars into Isreal, the Israels will bomb the Gazans and West Bankers to glass and no one will care...least of all the Syrians, Egyptians, Jordanians, and Lebanese."

Very noble. This is the kind of gung-ho jingoism that got Israel into trouble in the first place. The moral the Israelis should have gotten from the Algerian situation: Treat your neighbors like dogs, and sooner or later they'll bite your head off.

"See? Its nothing like Algeria because the Israelis don't see all of Palestine as part of their national identity (not most of them anyway). They don't want to hold all of the West Bank. They certainly don't want Gaza."

Then why were they building settlements in it?

"And America doesn't want any territory in Iraq."

Nope. Just the oil. Oh, and the basing rights. Why else would we be planning a permanent occupation?

"It just wants the region to stop growing exploding people that come to the US to do it."

When has a suicide bomber operated in America? Or are you referring to some sort of farm that grows "exploding people" like some kind of homicidal melon? Do you think the best way to stop angering people is to come into their country and bomb their cities flat? When has that strategy worked, especially when you don't have the boots on the ground to pacify the borders and prevent the influx of insurgents and supplies?

"Some people learn all the wrong lessons from history."

Some people have never opened a history book at all, and get all their talking points from 2002 editions of "National Review."

[–] LeOmbre 16 years ago

*claps*...bravo, bravo. Anyone with a logical mind and any shred of intelligence should realize these conclusions...thank you for saving me the effort of typing, critterdom.

[–] Dashkatt 16 years ago

Thanks for your opinion, critterdom, but I agree with crush. Your comment leads one to believe you blame Israel for everything. That would be quite gun ho on your part, don't you think?

So, critterdom, you're one of those liberals that believe the whole Iraq thing was strictly over oil? How convenient for you to be able to compartmentalize the entire episode, going back years, into one easy answer for the cause of the problem.

My question to you, critterdom, is George Bush also responsible for the problem in Algiers? After all he was at least 10 or 11 years old when it occurred. I figure the looney left will figure out a way to blame anything on Bush, including the Lindbergh kidnapping.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] critterdom 15 years ago

"Thanks for your opinion, critterdom, but I agree with crush. Your comment leads one to believe you blame Israel for everything. That would be quite gun ho on your part, don't you think?"

Yes, it would be, if it were what I thought. Unfortunately for you, I can have beliefs that don't fall within your strawman caricature. I can support Israel, AND America, without supporting every stupid policy they adopt. I think it's possible to support a country, while thinking some of that country's military decisions hurt that country. Unlike you, my brain can handle that dichotomy without exploding.

"So, critterdom, you're one of those liberals that believe the whole Iraq thing was strictly over oil?"

I certainly hope so. The only other alternative is that it was over Saddam Hussein having a dispute with Bush's Dad. And that possibility is even more depressing.

"How convenient for you to be able to compartmentalize the entire episode, going back years, into one easy answer for the cause of the problem."

How convenient for you to have no explanation whatsoever.

"My question to you, critterdom, is George Bush also responsible for the problem in Algiers?"

No.

"After all he was at least 10 or 11 years old when it occurred. I figure the looney left will figure out a way to blame anything on Bush, including the Lindbergh kidnapping."

I figure talking to you is about as useful as talking to a rock. You're so smart, you know everything. That's why America's screwed, and Israel's not much better off. Because macho morons ran both countries into the ground.

[–] rasheed_node 11 years ago

Israel is an occupier, like France in this movie, Palestinians are fighting their war of independence just like Algerians and if you care to know a small fact from history of last 500 years - not a single war of independence has failed.

[–] Clancifer 17 years ago

Keep the country submitted through violence and discrimination? Utter *beep* Israeli Arabs have more rights in Israel that in most other Middle East countries. And the violence comes from Hezbollah and Hamas. Tell them to try to get along with their Israeli neighbors instead of trying to enslave them with Islam.

[–] buzoncontacto 17 years ago

The equivalent of the "Kashba" in Israel is Gaza. And though I am no expert on the matter, you can bet many Arabs in Algeria lived a decent, undisturbed life. I am sure the French didn`t hold any kind of legal Apartheid, that is not their style

[–] lovelygreebo 16 years ago

Your full of *beep* you stupid *beep*

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] SecretAffair 15 years ago

israel also launch an attack to palestine earlier this year and almost 200 ppl die and what happen then.what happen to the person who responsible for lauching an attack..he having a big breakfast the next morning.

ppl kept blaming palestine for everything,even so that doesn't means isreal can launch a genocide to palestine ppl.both citizen want live happily but what happen?

I'm Not Too Busy,I Just Don't Care At ALL