If you think there may be strong disagreements in your group, or a wide variance in background, it is probably best to choose a more structured discussion activity, as this will keep people focused.

Exercises for Different Levels

1. Unpacking the Play: Appropriate for all Levels

Needed: small note cards; flip chart or board (optional)

A. For whole group discussion if group is smaller than 15 people:

Pass out note cards before the film. On the flipchart or board, write these questions, and ask the participants to respond to them after the film.

What was the most important thing you learned from the play? Why?
What was the most controversial aspect of the play? Why?
What quotation, scene, or character stands out for you? Why?

After the screening, give the audience time to write down their answers and also to think about the “why” component of each. The “why” is the most important part of their answers. (5 minutes)

Then go through each question, soliciting answers, and writing down shorthand phrases to represent answers on the flipchart. There will probably be some overlap. After soliciting answers, open it up for more discussion on any one of them. Depending on how many answers you have, you may want to vote on the ones to be discussed. Allow 15 minutes for each question.

B. If the group is large (over 15 people):

Break into small groups to encourage better discussion. For greater diversity in the groups, have people count off by 4, with all 1’s in one group, all 2’s in another, etc. Groups should be no bigger than 4 to allow for adequate discussion among the members. It is possible that you will have more than one group addressing a question if your audience is large enough, but this is okay.

Assign one question to each group to discuss for 15 minutes.

Ask for one person from each group to take notes for a report back of key points at the end of the 15 minutes. Then each group “reporter” should state the key points as you write them on the board/flipchart. (15 minutes)
For the last question, after getting ideas from the relevant small group(s), have the larger group vote on which scene, character or quotation to discuss (among those raised by the smaller group(s)). Then open it up to the larger group for a 15-minute discussion. (20 minutes)

2. Scene Discussion: Intermediate Level Exercise

If your group would like to discuss a specific scene, first replay the scene for them to view. (You can access it on the DVD.) Refer to the scenes listed below.

Possible questions for scene discussion:

Why do the soldiers do what they do in this scene?
How do the Palestinians respond or resist?
What is the soldiers’ response/attitude to the Palestinians in the scene? What is it after the scene (in their reflections)?
What might be the justification of the IDF for the soldiers’ actions in the scene? How might the action further the goals of the Israeli government?
In most of the scenes, the soldiers are conflicted about what they did. Identify their conflicts in this scene.

The Stories/Scenes from the Play:

All of the scenes are stories told by the soldiers in their testimonies.

• Running a Checkpoint—crossing without a permit; soldier abuse

• Kafka in Hebron—making the absurd normal

• Gaza Blockade—shooting at the kids for “security”

• Erez Crossing—“You can’t bring anything in.”

• Farmer’s Olive Trees Destroyed—the Wall

• House Search and Vandalism

• Settlers:

The Policy of Silent Transfer--taking farmers’ land, trees, sheep
The Medic—children hurting children
Price Tag—soldiers protecting violent settlers

• Change of Address—house demolition as collective punishment

3. Exploring a Quote: Advanced Exercise

This exercise is best for groups that have considerable knowledge about the Israeli/Palestinian history and conflict. It offers the opportunity to be quite open-ended and creative. Responses may relate to other aspects of the play, the I/P conflict in general, analogies to U.S. society (or other global ones), or personal connections.

Needed: Note cards and flip chart

Hand out note cards at the beginning of your screening. Tell the participants to write down any quotes that stand out to them as significant in terms of the play as a whole, or the I/P situation in general.

After the screening, ask for several quotes from the group and write them on the board or flipchart. Ask each contributor to explain why the quote chosen is significant. Choose no more than 5 (possibly by voting) for a discussion with the entire group. (45 minutes)

If the group has difficulty coming up with quotes, here are some that other audience members have chosen:

“VOICE

. . . . Were any of you stationed near the Wall?

SOLDIER 2

The separation barrier--it’s for Israel’s security.

SOLDIER 1

Separation wall, separation fence, apartheid wall, security wall, security fence-

SOLDIER 2

It is for Israel’s security!

SOLDIER 3

Not exactly--

VOICE

What do you mean?

SOLDIER 3

Well, it’s going around settlements, taking over a lot more of the Palestinians’ land. It’s an annexation wall.”

“I was a part of a machine that spread a lot of devastation and fear.” (Soldier 1)

“’Our mission is to disrupt and harass people’s lives.’ That was our job description. Disrupt the lives of the people who live there, because this disrupts terrorist activity.” (Soldier 1)

“In the Territories, every Palestinian is a potential terrorist.” (Soldier 3)

“This was the first time I understood that everything I was told was complete bullshit. From then on, I didn’t stop doing the things I did. I just stopped thinking.” (Soldier 2)

“A person who gave you some trouble, who disturbed the peace at the checkpoint, who spoke to you in a certain way . . . you have to keep your authority, you have to keep it so they respect you. That's the reality of the checkpoint. “ (Soldier 3)

“The settlers told me, ‘We stretch the law; the law will bend according to what we do.’” (Soldier 2)

“I have to flip a switch in my brain so I can keep hating Arabs and justifying what the Jews do. But no, wait, I still can’t agree with the Jews, because they started it, it’s because of the settlers that we’re here.” (Soldier 1)

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