Yael and Zev Paradise Now blog

Yael Kaplan and Zev Faintuch

Paradise Now Blog
This segment of Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now begins with the attack being postponed because Said is MIA (missing in action). When Said returns to the West Bank, he checks the hideout to find Khaled and the others; but it is completely empty. The two friends go searching for one another but keep missing each other. Interestingly enough, everyone they meet comments on their suit. However, Said’s mother is the only one who finds the suits suspicious. She knows something is up.

While Khaled is driving, a car dangerously passes him and he curses the driver. It is somewhat odd how he is suddenly so concerned about his life when hours ago he was willingly and almost even excitedly ready to end his life by blowing himself up. We also see Khaled complain about removing the tape from his chest. How could someone complain about such a minute task but not even think twice about ending their life?

While Suha and Said are in the video store, a martyr video is playing on one of the televisions. The cashier tells them that he has martyr and collaborator videos for rent and purchase. He also tells them that the collaborator videos are more expensive because they are in higher demand. This reflects the Palestinian society (in the movie): people would rather see punishment than self sacrifice (even if the sacrifice is on their behalf). Interestingly enough, this means that the culture values the perpetuation violence, even killing their own people, more then they value the martyrs who kill themselves in order to the struggle.

Next we see the scene where Suha and Said argue over logic and ethics behind using terrorism as a means to achieve the Palestinian goal of freedom. Many interesting points are raised and the theme of who is left behind is further explored. Suha says that martyrdom is not sacrifice, but rather, revenge. Said says that he would “rather have a paradise in his head then live in hell”, which is ironic because we previously see him sitting down and appreciating his surroundings.

Said constantly spews propaganda that has no doubt, been repeated so many times to him that it has become truth. He goes on to say that conflict the is the only option: “there is no freedom without struggle”. By saying this, Said is saying that the Palestinians are disempowered.eHHHHhh Suha, however, thinks that because the Israeli army is very strong, the Palestinians should empower themselves by making their struggle into a moral war. This clash between the two acts a magnifying glass for us: we see clearly two aspects of the Palestinian side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.