Drama and the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict

Nicole GoldsteinTHEA 481 Presentation

Introduction to Israeli Drama

• Israeli Theatre was non-existent until the country’s establishment in 1948.

• Plays were mostly social dramas, using audiences as both spectators and participants.

• Thoughts about Israeli Theatre and perception

The Israeli/Palestine Conflict• Jews escaping various

religious persecutions from other countries in the 1900’s.

• 1947: The United Nations divided Palestine

• 1948: Israel declared a state/ Israeli war of Independence

The Israeli/Palestine Conflict Continued

• Israel gained more territories while the Palestinians were being forced to move away from these areas.

• 2000: When Israel was willing to hand over 95% of the West Bank and Gaza back to the Palestinians, but they would not agree.

Result of Conquests

Pre 19th Century 1947 1948 2005

Israeli/Palestinian Conflict PlaysVarious titles including:

– An Arab Woman Speaks– An Israeli Love Story– My Name is Rachel Corrie– Seven Jewish Children/Seven Other Children– To Pay the Price– The Trainer– Via Dolorosa– Wall– What Strong Fences Make– DAI (Enough)

*Not all of these shows were written by Israelis, but this really tells a lot about individuals and cultures around the world and their perspectives and feelings into this gruesome conflict.

Israeli PlaywrightsYehoshua Sobol

War of the Jews (1981)

Hanoch Levin Murder (1998)

Israeli Playwrights Continued

• Women playwrights were not discovered until the 1970’s.

• Focused on – Realities of current events – Individual responses to the national

phenomena–War– The Intifada (Arab terrorist groups)

Themes Written about in Concerns with the Conflict

• Israeli Identity, particularly in the younger crowd.

• Dehumanization • Ethical Issues• Personal and collective responsibility• Framing the Palestinians as “different” and to

be considered a threat

Drama and Ideology in Modern Israel

• The Israeli/Palestinian war is described as nightmarish; the stage became a discussion for these serious issues of the conflict.

• Historical and social forces influence the works of Jewish Theatre today.

Questions Asked of Me• How does the perspective of theatre

and performance affect one’s outlook on the crisis?

• Can the conflict itself be seen as performance for the world?

• Recognition by the world for Israelis or Palestinians?

Work CitedAbramson, Glenda. Drama and Ideology in Modern

Israel. New York: Cambridge UP, 1998. Print. Katirai, Negar. “POV: The History of the Iraseli/

Palestinian Conflict.” POV: The History of the Iraseli/Palestinian Conflict. PBS, Dec. 2001. Web. 25 Sep. 2015.

Oppenheim, Yoni. “The Origins of Jewish Performance.” My Jewish Learning. Yoni Oppemheim, 2012. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Ralph. “Getting Unstuck: An International Perspective. How Peace Today can Make Us Unsafe Tomorrow.” The Leaders Toolbox Atom. The Leaders Toolbox, 11 Dec. 2013. 02 Oct. 2015.

“Yehoshua Sobol.” Jewish Virtual Library. Gale Group, 2008. Web. 04 Oct. 2015.