Throughout the years, Israel has been constructing ever-increasing networks of roads and infrastructure in the occupied West Bank. This has resulted in numerous Israeli settlements being built to accommodate the influx of people from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, two of its most populous cities. However, this leaves little room for Palestinians to establish their own state.
Despite an official peace process that began in 1993 with the Oslo Accords, Israeli construction since then has significantly diminished the amount of land available for Palestinian sovereignty. As a result, Palestinian citizens are left feeling increasingly threatened by the encroachment of these settlements on their traditional lands and territories.
The 2010 film “Roads to Occupation” delves deep into how this road infrastructure is impacting Palestinians’ lives and how it affects their access to resources such as water. The documentary also examines the environmental repercussions of unchecked settlement growth in terms of deforestation and destruction of historically significant sites.
Through interviews with local Palestinians, experts, politicians, activists and more, “Roads to Occupation” provides a troubling insight into what life is like for those living in these settlements as well as those who remain outside them. It gives viewers an inside look at what many consider an unjust reality: one where Palestinians’ basic human rights are regularly trampled upon by long-standing policies and practices created by the Israeli government.
To gain a better understanding of what Israelis are doing on occupied Palestinian land – as well as why – watching “Roads to Occupation” is highly recommended. Through its intimate portrayal of daily life under occupation, it provides an invaluable perspective on this contentious issue that cannot be found anywhere else. To truly appreciate what is happening on the ground level between Israelis and Palestinians today, this documentary should be viewed first-hand.
