In Defense of the Rocket

The rise and fall of the Middle East peace process, documented by a series of news photographs set to the rhythms of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. French director Martin Ginestie arranged these powerful scenes according to chronology and subject matter to emphasize the iterative nature of the process, the repetitive images echoing the persistent deadlock in the peace process. In quick succession we see brief segments of Yasser Arafat shaking hands with countless world leaders, including Bill Clinton; of men throwing rocks, of blood on the streets; of explosions on city streets; and of Arafat being carried to his grave. Then the tragedy starts all over again, but with new protagonists. Now it is the Palestinian president Abbas who is shaking countless hands – with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and so on. But it does nothing to stop the bombs raining down on the cities, destroying houses and refugee camps.