When reality fails to reach, use fantasy

Palestinian protestors who dressed up like the Na’vi from Avatar last week almost looked like they belonged at a costume party. In fact, it may have even been a moment of humor in an intense and emotionally charged conflict. But I found it rather sad.

I should start by saying that I did find the entire episode quite brilliant. Palestinians have been protesting against this particular separation barrier in the West Bank for the past years, even after an Israeli court found the wall unlawful, and the annual ritual has become somewhat humdrum. Cleverly, they incited interest (however small) by evoking images of something that was talked about, Avatar: a worldwide phenomenon. And I imagine it caught the eye of a younger generation for whom the Israel/Palestinian conflict is an ongoing saga consistently playing in the background of world politics. (At least that was my view when I was in high school).

That said, here is why I found it sad: by posing as movie characters, these Palestinian protestors had to create a distance for the spectator from their actual conflict. Because the reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict is so emotionally charged, it required fantasy to provide some perspective, to be recognized as an “oppressed” group. No one is going to argue that the Na’vi in Avatar were treated unjustly, but when considering Palestinians, the concept of justice and victimization is blurry and questionable.

I doubt these Palestinians are looking for a “savior” – that ideology is both regressive and demeaning, because it assumes Palestinians cannot help themselves. But perhaps what these Palestinian protestors are calling for is a sense of perspective from the international community; different ways of understanding a conflict that is hardly straightforward.

For the record, few American publications reprinted pictures of the Palestinian protestors, which at some level indicates how taboo a topic the Palestinian viewpoint of the conflict is in this country. But this conflict is not localized to a strip of land in the Middle East; the United States is very much invested in the outcome of any peace process, which is exactly why actual discussion representing both sides needs to take place in this country. And I don’t mean news events that splash cable networks every now and then, but a dialogue that challenges our old perceptions of the situation.

Regardless of your position on the Israel-Palestine conflict, it is hard to argue that Americans have ignored the struggles of Palestinians. If drawing parallels between fantasy and reality is going to help people recognize this, then perhaps Palestinians have found a new tactic to employ. I, however, am glad they decided against posing as the aliens from District 9.