There’s no doubt, our new presidential administration will bring lots of changes. And one change that has been in the news lately is our relationship with Israel, and with the Palestinians. Not long ago, I traveled in both Israel and Palestine to produce a one-hour public television special called Rick Steves’ The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today. My goal was to offer a “dual narrative” look at the region, considering the challenges in that part of the world from both an Israeli and a Palestinian perspective. Today that special — which you can stream online for free, in its entirety — feels particularly relevant.
One regret I had in producing our Holy Land show was that a lot of fascinating material wound up on the cutting-room floor. We filmed several insightful interviews with both Israelis and Palestinians that have never been available online…until now. Over the next 10 days, I’ll be sharing 10 different interviews with people I met in the Holy Land. Considering the impact of American policies on the daily lives of both Israelis and Palestinians, this is my attempt to introduce you to some people in both camps whose voices might otherwise not be heard.
First up: While we ate a fast-food lunch in a West Bank settlement shopping mall, we met a smart, young, professional Jewish couple with a big family. They were not only willing to talk with our camera rolling, but they were well-spoken and expert at articulating the Israeli case.
Now this is the Rick Steves I know and love.
Even though I only saw the original show, I found it so valuable because I really understood the position that the Palestinians are in and what a horror of a life they live being crowded out and only a loud to have services when the are given to them. Part of the immigration in the world has to do with the displacement of whole groups of people. Whether it be from dictators or climate change.
So insightful. I am glad this couple shared their views.
This piece was great the first time I watched and will watch again as it’s a complex situation. I’m looking forward to the 10 new interviews, thanks for stopping to do this and share with everyone. We must keep on learning and talking and building bridges with people!
A beautiful interview. So nice that Rick found an intelligent, educated couple to interview there on the West Bank. I needed that input in order to better understand what’s happening in the Middle East. Rick is a great interviewer, too.