Cinemascope

Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” is the song. This is utterly lovely:

If this wasn’t so horrible - both artistically AND ideologically - it would’ve been hilarious. On the eve of the formation of Israel’s new ultra-right wing government comes the news that Israel is now the leading weapons supplier to India (beating out former champion, Russia). How did the Israeli arms dealers do it? Here’s a clue: one of Israel’s leading arms manufacturers produced this atrocious Bollywood style infomercial, promoting its various types of missiles. As a skit on SNL it might’ve been funny, but in reality - when actual missiles are actually sold, and then used as deterrence against neighboring Pakistan - this is gut churning. And this is without mentioning how awful the “Bollywood” homage is. The Indians should sue Israeli arms dealers for defaming their culture.

What next? Using Tom Cruise to promote cruise missiles?

Yoni Goodman, who was Director of Animation on Ari Folman’s “Waltz With Bashir”, has drawn, animated and directed this 1:30 minutes short to publicize the work of Gisha, a not-for-profit organization, founded in 2005, whose goal is to protect the freedom of movement of Palestinians, especially Gaza residents. Gisha promotes rights guaranteed by international and Israeli law.
On their website they write: “Despite declarations that it has “disengaged” from the Gaza Strip, Israel maintains control of the Strip’s overland border crossings, territorial waters, and air space. This includes substantial, albeit indirect, control of the Rafah Crossing.
During the past 18 months, Israel tightened its closure of Gaza, almost completely restricting the passage of goods and people both to and from the Strip.
These policies punish innocent civilians with the goal of exerting pressure on the Hamas government, violating the rights of 1.5 million people who seek only to live ordinary lives – to be reunited with family, to pursue higher education, to receive quality medical treatment, and to earn a living.”

Goodman told Israeli website Ynet that he sure he will be condemned as an anti-Israeli, or blamed for smearing Israel’s reputation, but he thinks it’s bullshit. “The world waits to hear Israelis speak in a moral voice”.

Goodman’s short premiered today just as Hillary Clinton began her first visit as Secretary of State in Israel with the demand that Israel opens the Gaza crossings.