Tag Archives: Hebrew

Murder by Decree [1979)

To what extent are the recent attacks on Israel a false-flag?

Where upon the LIHOP-MIHOP continuum do they fall?

Let It Happen On Purpose.

Make It Happen On Purpose.

Israel was in disarray.

This year.

Divided.

Like America was after the disastrous “hanging chad” election of 2000.

But the country was “brought together” by the false-flag/stand-down of 9/11/01.

And so the 21st century began.

Study Pearl Harbor.

FDR.

The Wohlstetters.

The neocons.

And their Israeli connections.

The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since 2007.

How did they get weapons?

Where did they come from?

If not by sea, then by what route?

Or was the blockade so magnificently ineffective???

Since 9/11, a thinking person would do well to believe that which is diametrically-opposed to whatever is the prevailing mainstream news position on most current events.

Narrative: 9/11 was the work of 19 beardy Muslims (mostly Saudis) wielding nothing more than box cutters

More likely: 9/11 was the work of the American government

Narrative: the Twin Towers fell down

More likely: the Twin Towers were blown up

There are some limits to this George Costanza method.

For instance…

Narrative: four planes were hijacked

An opposite: there were no planes

I, for one, believe there were planes.

But whether there were or not, we begin to lose sight of the big picture if we haggle over esoteric points.

Let’s be frank, how could Israel have not been ready for this?

It makes no sense whatsoever.

Gaza has been blockaded by sea for 16 years.

In contrast, Israel has some of the most advanced weaponry in the world.

Israel is a country built upon VIGILANCE.

This was not a surprise.

Not by any stretch of the imagination.

The attack did not come from an unexpected point.

Ok, so they used some paragliders.

So what?

WHAT ELSE WAS NOVEL ABOUT THIS ATTACK?

As far as I can tell, almost nothing.

The attack was bold.

Ok, I will concede that.

But what of these areas bordering the Gaza Strip?

Wouldn’t these be the most well-protected areas in Israel?

Either Israel is being run by very stupid leaders, or the events that transpired were EXACTLY WHAT these leaders WANTED to transpire.

Why?

A. to unite a divided country

B. to look like the victim and thus be able to launch a disproportionate riposte under the aegis of “defense”

Something is very seriously amiss in all of this.

Let’s return to that mostly-useful exercise of more accurately “reading” the news.

Mainstream media: Israel is good–Palestine is bad

It would then necessarily follow that: Israel is bad–Palestine is good

The truth may be more subtle.

Perhaps Israel is not so bad.

Perhaps Palestine is not so good.

And backing up.

Perhaps Israel is not so good.

Perhaps Palestine is not so bad.

But you will see nothing but biased reporting in the USA (among other places) concerning these events.

You will be bombarded will PSAs about anti-Semitism.

You will see videos of Israelis being kidnapped.

But you will not experience any coordinated media blitz which highlights the plight of Palestine.

They will receive no sympathetic ink.

You will be provided with no counterbalance–no psychologically-manipulating context on why exactly the Palestinians and the larger Islamic world are pissed off at Israel.

History must be erased.

Ignored.

We depend upon your stupidity and ignorance to view these events STRICTLY IN THE CONTEXT WHICH WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU.

No shades of meaning may exist.

There is good: Israel

There is bad: Palestine

If you color outside these lines, you are anti-Semitic.

The ADL will soon be knocking at your proverbial (?) door.

Your social media accounts will be permanently suspended.

Because to disagree with the caveman-like logic of “Israel good–Palestine bad” is HATE SPEECH.

Dontcha know?

I love Jews.

I love Muslims.

I respect Israelis.

I respect Palestinians.

Most of all, I respect Russians.

And their allies: the communist Chinese.

I also respect he Middle Eastern allies of Russia: Syria and Iran.

I do not approve of an American carrier strike group GETTING ANYWHERE NEAR this shitstorm.

Remember the USS Liberty!!!

Remember how Netanyahu and Boris Johnson were the first two major world leaders to congratulate Biden on his “win” in 2020.

I was very open-minded about Israel under the mostly-excellent Presidency of Donald Trump.

That goodwill vanished when Netanyahu effectively validated the 2020 U.S. elections as “free and fair”.

And this pissed Trump off.

YET TRUMP IS STILL SHILLING FOR ISRAEL.

[when he’s not busy shilling for Pfizer]

Trump abdicated his final year in office to Fauci and Pence.

And Pence ruined the USA.

Trump will never admit that he rushed unsafe, ineffective vaccines to market.

What are we to do?

I stand with RFK Jr.

Can he win?

Probably not.

But how can I stand with moronic Trump?

Jan. 7, 2023: start of Israeli anti-Judicial reform protests (Habima square)

Jan. 14, 2023: over 80,000 Israelis protest in Tel Aviv against judicial reform

Mar. 26, 2023: Netanyahu dismisses defense minister Yoav Gallant after Gallant called for discussions to be paused on controversial judicial reform bill

Mar. 27, 2023: Netanyahu announces a pause on his government’s judicial reform bill

Jul. 5, 2023: Tel Aviv police chief Amichai Esched announces his resignation sparking demonstrations by large crowds in solidarity with him

Oct. 7, 2023: country magically comes together to fight a common enemy

Has Israel ever supported Hamas?

Has Israel ever enabled Hamas?

To what extent has Mossad infiltrated Hamas?

And I ask these questions again, where the fuck are all these weapons in Gaza coming from?

No, let met ask in another way.

BY WHAT ROUTE(S) are these weapons entering Gaza?

Gaza fires 5,000 rockets on Oct. 7.

These rockets only kill 5 people.

What are these?

Fucking roman candles?

Bottle rockets???

So you’re telling me approximately 695 Israelis have been killed IN ISRAEL due to Gaza checkpoints being overwhelmed?!?

Gimme a fucking break.

The implausibility of that…

At the very least, Israel wanted this attack to happen…in order to have a casus belli to wipe Gaza off the map with as little international pushback as possible.

I simply don’t believe that Israel’s leaders are so stupid as to have flimsy fortifications and weak troop numbers on the border with Gaza.

Israel has nuclear weapons.

Israel has 50-75 U.S. F-35 stealth fighters (the most advanced fighter jets that the USA has).

Gaza has pickup trucks.

And some bulldozers.

Gimme a fucking break.

This does not add up.

-PD

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חתונה מנייר [2015)

[WEDDING DOLL (2015)]

This may be the most important film I’ve ever reviewed.

And it also may be the most beautiful film I’ve ever seen.

Cinema challenges us to drop our prejudices.

And so, this is the first Israeli film in Hebrew I’ve ever written about.

We must give each side their chance.

And we must stop seeing each other as “sides”.

To the best of my pathetic ability, I am going to attempt to describe a work of cinematic art that I have no right to enjoy.

Wedding Doll is a film which may change your opinions of Israelis.

I must keep my mind very focused to do it justice.

Because our aim is art.

My aim.

Our aim is beauty.

And my main aim is love.

We learn from our peers and our forebears what is right and cool.

We take on archetypes.

We try them on like hats.

Or like dresses.

And we feel comfortable in these metaphorical garments.

Because someone has blazed the path before us.

But the great humans take a step on their own.

If I take faltering steps, then I give the glory to God who has guided me even in such meager efforts.

Let me tell you about this film which celebrates harmony in our tearstained world.

First of all is due all credit to the director:  Nitzan Gilady.

His direction is on par with the great Kiarostami.

But it is equally on par with the great Ingmar Bergman.

It is that good!

Our story takes place in the Negev Desert.

And it behooves us out of an abundance of humanity to place the Negev in a new perspective.

This film does just that.

We see the Makhtesh Ramon.

A crater caused by water erosion.

Unique to Israel and Egypt.

And Makhtesh Ramon (makhtesh meaning “mortar grinder” in Hebrew…as in mortar and pestle) is the perfect analogy for this film.

In a mortar, things are ground up and crushed by the pestle.

Useful, lifesaving things like medicine.

But for the characters in our film, their circumstances are crushing them.

And like in life, some substances will be healing…and some poison.

Perhaps God is the great pharmacist.

I believe that to be so.

But let it be known:  there is not a single mention of God in this film.

And that is fine.

Because God speaks through his creation.

Let me please tell you about the wonderful actors who make this film sheer magic.

Above all is the astounding, stupendous, beautiful genius Moran Rosenblatt.

Her character, Hagit, is 24.

She is obsessed with getting married.

But she is also “special”.

It is a sad story.

She was apparently the victim of a head or neck injury at a young age.

At the hands of childhood bullies (it is intimated).

So she is developmentally disabled.

I hope I have worded it the right way.

Because no person deserves more deference than this character.

Rosenblatt makes her come alive as the most joyous, glowing human being imaginable.

But sadness is all around.

Hagit has unreasonable expectations of life.

Considering her situation.

Especially regarding employment.

And I can certainly understand.

She has a dream.

Her wedding dolls made out of toilet paper are miniature works of art, but she longs to be a fashion designer and work in a bridal shop.

As is the case with every human, we often cannot see our own limitations.

We push.  We dream.

And sometimes we are crushed by the cold reality of a world which doesn’t understand.

But one guy understands.

And he is Hagit’s coworker at a factory.

With just two employees.

A toilet paper factory in Israel.

What could have been maudlin in the hands of a lesser director is transformed into pure poetry by Nitzan Gilady.

But he needed the genius of Moran Rosenblatt.

And she needed help.

Roy Assaf is wonderful as Omri.

Omri watches out for Hagit the best he can.

He has good intentions.

Perhaps he is not perfect, but he brings Hagit so much happiness.

And yet his best efforts are unsustainable.

Only God can perform miracles.

Fortunately for Hagit, she has a mother who would go to the ends of the Earth for her.

Assi Levy plays her mother, Sara.

This is a lady who cleans rooms at a local hotel.

A very small town.

In the desert.

And a lady who sits by the washing machines and hot dryers perhaps in the basement of the same hotel.

Washing bedsheets and blankets and towels.

Sara devotes her whole life to her disabled daughter.

[the father is not around]

Hagit is simply not able to be on her own.

As much as Hagit wants that, the world is too cruel.

And Sara knows this.

She is protective of her little flower Hagit because her daughter is so kindhearted that she makes an easy target for unsavory individuals.

I will not tell you the plot twists.

I’ve probably said too much (to paraphrase Michael Stipe).

But this film is a masterpiece.

It is currently available on Netflix in the U.S. as Wedding Doll.

I have done my best to preserve the Hebrew title at the top.

If it is not visible, I apologize for the website template limitations.

My words cannot adequately do justice to the brilliance of this film.

And thus I will just leave you with its title.

חתונה מנייר

-PD

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Death Defying Acts [2007)

It is shameful.  No, she says.  Who taught you that?  My first review of a film by a female director.  A director who happens to be female.  A nearly perfect film.

Silly me.  Gillian Armstrong is a very different person from Kathryn Bigelow.  Born almost exactly a year apart.  One making art films.  The other shilling for the cocksuckers known as the New World Order.

Zero Dark Thirty.  It is shameful.  9/11 Commission Report.  Shameful.  War on Terror.  Shame.  Shame.

The last words of the mother of Western civilization.  What were they?  Maybe Oswald Spengler was there by her bedside.  What did she whisper?  What were her worries?  Her aspirations for us?  Will she forgive us for throwing away our gifts in an endless magic show?

To be forgiven, perhaps one must repent.  Western civilization is balls-deep into a fabricated war against Islam.

Forgive me.  I have gone off track.  Good films bring the sediment to the surface.

And thus I close the window on Kathryn Bigelow.  She’s made her buck on a story.  Fanciful.  Opportunist.  More likely spawn of Satan than complete moron.

But Gillian Armstrong has no such agenda in Death Defying Acts.  We get a Welsh lady (Catherine Zeta-Jones) playing a Scot.  We get an Irish girl born in the Bronx (Saoirse Ronan) playing a Scot.  And finally we get an English-born Aussie (Guy Pearce) portraying a Hungarian-American escapologist from Appleton, Wisconsin.

Ahh, Appleton…  It was not so long ago that I spoke of thee.  Terry Zwigoff.  Ghost World.  Trying to make sense out of the final scene, I imagined Thora Birch journeying back to Zwigoff’s hometown.  Houdini’s hometown.

It’s all a trick.  Until it isn’t.  Es tut mir leid.  Wo bist du?  Kaddish.  Yes, Leonard Bernstein famously noted that God was/is in this [pointing] glass of orange juice.  Kaddish.

This is truly the age of anxiety.  Auden.  May His great name be blessed forever, and to all eternity.

It is Thanksgiving with soaked acorns.  bon appétit!

When there is seemingly nothing to praise, and then we realize how much we have.  And we do not begrudge the loss.  We give thanks for all the times of presence.

Ah, but we must face Montreal.  Yanqui U.X.O.  Leonard Cohen.  Philip Guston.

Maybe it was a famous blue raincoat draped over his shoulders.  There in the graveyard.  Where they have been living a bit prematurely.

No, I think rather it is a bird on a wire.  Harry had saved all his ribbons…for thee.  He was the partisan battling himself.  Push.  Push.  Harder.  Be perfect.  Be superhuman.  And then let his guard down for a moment…

“I was cautioned to surrender.  This I could not do.”

No.  Fuck you.

“I’ve lost my wife and children.”  You stole my country, he says.  Your country stole my youth.  I chose poorly.

“She died without a whisper.”  Tarantino is the worst filmmaker working today.  For that he deserves some credit.

“There were three of us this morning.  I’m the only one this evening.”  Double suicide on the Left Bank.  Guy Debord.  And who?  And who else?

An old man in the attic.  Hid us for the night.  […]  He died without surprise.

Thank you.  ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד

طيب الله اسمه العظيم إلى الأبد، وإلى الأبد.

J’ai la France entière

-PD

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