Jerusalem: An Occupation Set in Stone?

This forceful documentary explores the devastating effects of exclusive Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem from the Palestinian perspective. Produced by the Palestine Housing Rights Movement, JERUSALEM: AN OCCUPATION SET IN STONE? introduces us to Jerusalemites we rarely hear from - Palestinians who have suffered from what they see as the repressive measures of Israeli occupation.

Marty Rosenbluth is an independent videographer based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. His company, Insightment Video Productions, focuses on producing videos for non-profit groups. He directs, shoots and edits these documentaries and educational videos. Marty has also worked for PBS Frontline as senior researcher for "Journey to the Occupied Lands," a 90-minute Frontline special. Before becoming a filmmaker, Marty lived in the Israeli-occupied West Bank for over seven years, working as a researcher for al-Haq (the Law), a Palestinian human rights organization and the Palestinian trade union federation. In addition to his work in documentary video, Marty also teaches video production and editing at the Empowerment Project, a community media resource center, and teaches video editing at Piedmont Community College. The film's producers, the Palestine Housing Rights Movement (PHRM), is a coalition of Palestinian and Israeli human rights and peace organizations in Jerusalem. The PHRM was formed to educate the public, both locally and internationally, about housing and residency rights, and the efforts of the Israeli government to alter the demographic balance in the city. JERUSALEM: AN OCCUPATION SET IN STONE? examines the issues of housing and residency rights in Jerusalem and how they affect the Palestinian population in the city. Since Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1967, the Israeli government has pursued a deliberate policy to limit the Palestinian population in the city, while at the same time seeking to increase the Jewish population. This video explores the Israeli policies of land confiscation, construction of Jewish settlements, denial of building permits, and the separation of Palestinian families. While the future of the negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis is uncertain, it is clear that the issue of Jerusalem will be one of the most difficult questions to resolve. JERUSALEM: AN OCCUPATION SET IN STONE? provides crucial information to help understand the importance of Jerusalem to Palestinians. Winner of the Lindheim Award at the Judah L. Magnes Museum's Jewish Video Festival, the film has also won Honorable Mention at the Columbus Film and Video Festival in Ohio. It will be broadcast by SBS Television in Australia in October 1996 and the Middle East Broadcasting Company (worldwide via satellite in Arabic) in the fall of 1996. It will also air statewide on PBS in North Carolina in November 1996. The video has also been shown at the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul, at the United Nations in New York, and at numerous conferences, universities and symposia worldwide. JERUSALEM: AN OCCUPATION SET IN STONE? was screened at a university tour in three Michigan locations. In the words of director Marty Rosenbluth, "a Kodak moment" occurred during the discussion that followed the screening at Michigan State University, co-sponsored by Hilel, the Jewish Studies Department and the Arab Students Organization. "An Arab student and a Jewish student were fiercely arguing for a long while, the Jewish student backing the Israeli Government position on the West Bank. At some point the Arab student asked 'So what would you call the human rights violations in the West Bank?' to which the Jewish student replied 'I guess I'd have to call it oppression.' 'And what do think should be done?' continued the Arab student.' Replied the Jewish student 'I guess there needs to be a Palestinian state.' At which point the Jewish student reached out his hand and said 'I guess we should shake hands now.' They did." You can contact Marty at: Insightment Video Productions 1323 Palmers Grove Rd. Hillsborough, N.C. 27278 (919) 732-5864