François Picard welcomes Israel’s legendary filmmaker Amos Gitai on the 2nd anniversary of Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel, the deadliest in its history. As peace talks continue, Mr. Gitai affirms that “we have to find a peaceful way to shape a new future for the Middle East.” For nearly half a century, Mr. Gitai’s works have recounted the marvels and complexities of Israeli society. He describes Israel as a rich cultural mosaic and insists everyone has a right to a peaceful existence. In this spirit, Mr. Gitai invites Israelis & Palestinians to embrace empathy and “think about the suffering of the other”. In 1982, Amos Gitai interviewed Bassam Shakaa, Mayor of Nablus, who survived an assassination attempt by Israeli extremists. He asked the mayor if he was optimistic. “And I loved his answer”, remembers Mr. Gitai. “He said to me, ‘Amos, we can’t afford to be pessimistic, it’s a luxury’.” Mr. Gitai reminds us that history is shaped by ideas, more than weapons and wealth. “That’s where culture comes in”.
This story originally appeared on France24
Amos Gitai: 'We must strive to find a new peaceful modus operandi between us and the Palestinians'
