Encounter Point (english)

New York, 19 C, after the rain.

Last Monday, 11-S, my favorite Afghan and I went to an screening of a great documentary.

Encounter Point tells the story of people involved in the arab-israeli conflict that although suffering the lost of the ones they love they choose dialog, reconciliation, forgiving... They mainly choose, after thinking about it logically, the option of breaking the cycle of violence.

Sometimes I take notes when in the cinema or at home from movies. Last monday I could not stop myself from writing in the darkness because I felt that the messages given need to be spread as the ideas are truly meaningful.

Here you are some of them

• In Israel, there are more people that are killed on the roads than in the conflict.

• I don’t need to love Israelis to make peace with them.

• I don’t differ from you, I resist too but I do it differently.

• Today we have to convince that we are not terrorists.

• I am very sorry for the guy that killed my daughter, somebody drugged his brain.

• At first, I thought it was a strange idea. But after thinking logically about it, I didn’t find any reason why not to meet them. And let them know about our suffering.

• French and German hated more during World War II than we do now.

• I am ashamed to say that, I never had a meaningful contact with a Palestinians.

• Forgiving does not mean giving up your right of justice.

• So, what do you do with all these pain, do you take it and look for revenge and keep the whole cycle advance or do you choose another path?

• For the first time, Palestinians and Israelis are meeting to share their pain. We are meeting about issues that politicians use to justify killing. No, don’t use us as an excuse, we are united.

• Do you believe that Israelis are interested in peace? I believe some are.

• I don’t really believe I can change the view of a settler or the right wing... you don’t need to give up, you just start... Ah! You are right...

• We came up with a solution for the conflict. Yes, what is it? Every Israeli or Palestinian who wants to smoke has to buy cigarettes from the other side. It would be peace in one day!!


If you get the chance, go to watch the movie. www.encounterpoint.com

Always spread the word, is worth it.