Hi, Shalom and Salam to everybody,
for sure you know Yotam Feldman, the Israeli filmmaker from Tel Aviv who produced a recent film about Israeli weapon tests in the Palestinian territories, entitled “THE LAB”.
ProMosaik condemns all weapon tests because they damage health and kill innocent people.
Israel is one of the strongest military nations all over the world.
And being a weapon exporter means supporting the war culture instead of supporting peace.
What we want is PEACE.
And Yotam gives us important insights about how to achieve PEACE.
Thank you Yotam for your time!!
Please also read on al Jazeera:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2014/05/lab-20145475423526313.html
Also read the synopsis on gumfilms:
Since 9/11, the Israeli arms industries are doing bigger business than ever before. Large Israeli companies develop and test the vessels of future warfare, which is then sold worldwide by private Israeli agents, who manipulate a network of Israeli politicians and army commanders, while Israeli theoreticians explain to various foreign countries how to defeat civil and para-military resistance. All based on the extensive Israeli experience.
The film reveals The Lab, which has transformed the Israeli military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank from a burden to a marketable, highly profitable, national asset.
Sarah Meyer
Editorial Team of ProMosaik e.V.
ProMosaik e.V.:
You ask the following question: And how did such a small country become one of the biggest military exporters in the world?
Which are the possible answers to it and why?
Yotam Feldman:
People might say Israel has become a world power in military export becuase of its inovative technology, its financial sturdiness or the quality of its people. All these might be true for Israel, but do not explain Israel’s advantage over other countries.
I think Israel’s main advantage in the weapons market is its ability to sell weapons that were tested and proven effective in ongoing conflict, first and foremost in Gaza. A salesperson can say, and I’ve seen this many times, this rocket or gun or bomb was used in our latest war in Gaza, it’s effective and you should buy it. This is the main reason why countries buy Israeli weapons.
ProMosaik e.V.:
How can we stop the as you call it “asymmetric warfare” between Israel and Palestine?
Yotam Feldman:
I think Palestinian resistence had very substantial successes in countering the Israeli military force. We’ve seen it in the the first Intifada and also at the beginning of the second Intifada. I think it is something Israel is very afraid of since the state knows its most sofisticated weapons can not counter this kind of resistance.
ProMosaik e.V.:
ProMosaik e.V. is convinced that anti-Zionist Jews will change Israel? What do you think about it?
Yotam Feldman:
I think anti-Zionist Jews are still a very small minority in Israel, with a very marginal effect on politics. I do think there is a majority of people under Israeli control who oppose Israeli aggresions, I think they will have a very decisive power.
ProMosaik e.V.:
How can Israeli change and understand the weapons are not the solution? Which strategies should we think of to show the importance of internal and external long-lasting peace?
Yotam Feldman:
I think boycotting Israel and raising global awarness to Israeli aggresion is a good start.
ProMosaik e.V.:
Do you think that there is a close relation between Israeli and US-militarism? If yes, why? If not, why not?
Yotam Feldman:
There is a close relation between Israeli and US capistalism, as we can see in the economic support – much of it military – the US is giving Israel, by the strong relations between the Israeli and US weapons industries. They cooporate very closely.
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