Behind Enemy Lines

Gil-Har’s documentary brings back together two members of the November 1999 peace forum held in Japan, one, Israeli police officer Benny Hermes, the other, Palestinian journalist Adnan Joulani and follows them on their 4-day visit to various significant conflict-affected places of the Intifada in both their home countries. For this viewer, the film is exceptional for its priveleged access – the destroyed shell of Hebron, the refugee camps, the settler camps (where Hermes, himself lives) and the whole bloody mess of this ‘balance of terror’. Gil-Har knows the project itself is a symbolic effort of reconciliation and, as enemies, Hermes and Joulani are clearly brave to embark on such a venture; but it must be said their hopes of progress seem extremely fragile at best. Fascinating.