ISRAEL: Gaza closure -- an animated discussion

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A new campaign drawing attention to the closure of the crowded Gaza Strip starts today, with a short animated film. The 90-second ‘Closed Zone’ was created by Yoni Goodman, animation director for ‘Waltz with Bashir,’ Ari Folman’s Golden Globe winning film.

Goodman started working on the short before the military operation in Gaza that continued during the project, further stressing the impact of closure on a population under fire. He hopes that viewers are able to ‘detach themselves from their automatic associations of good and evil’ and relate to the human character and situation.

The film was created for Gisha, a human rights organization focusing on protecting Palestinians’ freedom of movement, particularly in Gaza. Gisha -- ‘access’ in Hebrew -- engages in public and legal advocacy and often petitions Israel’s courts demanding Israel lift restrictions on the collective population as well as privately affected individuals such as university students, including Fullbright scholars.

Sari Bashi, executive director of the nonpartisan organization, explains that the choice of animantion as a medium is intended to help viewers recognize the basic humanity of the situation, away from the laundered discourse that erases empathy. She hopes the single cartoon figure will help people ‘understand who the real victims of the closure policy are -- 1.5 million people who just want to live their lives.’

Gisha maintains that the 21-month closure of Gaza is collective punishment and urges that crossings be opened to allow residents ‘the freedom of movement necessary to pursue their dreams.’

Play window for comments from Goodman and Bashi:

-- Batsheva Sobelman in Jerusalem