Negotiating for Rights... Reality or Illusion?

Film Name: Negotiating for Rights... Reality or Illusion?

Produced by: Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI)

Directed by: Rich Wiles

Production date: April 2014

Theme of the film: 

Follow-up, monitoring and documenting of the positions of the Palestinian political and social forces towards the negotiations process between the Palestinian side and the Israeli side. The film covers the various topics within the negotiation context: the political framework, Jerusalem, the refugees and the right of return, the settlements, land and water, the prisoners, the reality of Gaza under siege and political isolation, as well as the condition and representation of the Palestinians in 48 areas.

The interviews in the film were conducted in the period from January until March 2014, and they include a range of civil and political forces in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and Palestine 48.

The importance of the film is that it documents the positions of the various forces, including those of the political parties and officials, as it addresses and follows up on specific issues that are hindering a just end to the conflict. In this sense, it is an important material for interested parties.

Although the Palestinian Authority has eventually submitted requests to join international institutions as well as signed valuable international accords and treaties, as it threatened to do during the interviewing, in addition to the reconciliation and formation of a government of an inclusive national representation, the basic questions remain, however, what is next? Does the Palestinian Authority have a clear strategy for the future of its endeavours? Was the signing of these international accords and treaties a part of a comprehensive struggle plan that will finally have the Palestinians realizing their national aspiration of freedom and independence? Or was this a void move to gain more time and momentum?