To Shoot an Elephant (2009) Online

As I wrote in the title, this is an honest and hard hitting look at life for the Palestinias during attacks by the Israelis (with particular focus on Operation Cast Lead). The people involved with making the documentary take considerable risks to film and document the suffering of ordinary civilians as women, children and men are killed by Israeli bombs, ambulance crews are shot upon and ambulance personnel killed (all obviously illegal to target deliberately under international law, and with additional protections that are disregarded), a UN compound with food aid is bombed with white phosphorous (illegal under international law because of its devastating consequences when it hits humans), other instances of white phosphorous, and more. The high number of Palestinian civilans killed (over 1400) compared to Israeli civilians killed (zero, and around a dozen soldiers) serves to underscore the flagrant disregard for human life and international law of the Israeli political leadership and military. Highly recommended.

Before watching this film, I've heard a few negative opinions on it. So while I was watching it, I was trying to focus on the fact, whether the documentary is impartial or not. From my point of view, it is more about the people living in the Gaza Stripe, who are unable to live a normal life, however they really desire to. Some of them wish to die, because living in such tough conditions, the constant fear becomes unbearable. I also admire the people who set their lives in danger because of this film. The stories presented in it are incredibly moving. There was just one scene that kind of scared me, when the Palestinians were praying to Allah, asking him to destroy all the Jews. Not the right attitude, I am afraid. As for the Palestinian-Israeli problem itself, the thing I realize the most is not that one of the parties is more right or wrong. Most people just want an end, they are ordinary people like us, with families etc. Judging them would be completely inappropriate.