Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958–1989

The Swedish documentarist Göran Hugo Olsson already proved the power of archival material and collage with his earlier documentaries Black Power Mixtape (R&A 2011) and Concerning Violence (R&A 2014). Using materials from the Swedish national broadcaster on Israel and Palestine, he draws a chronological roadmap through the stages of the largest existential crisis of our time.

Even though the Swedish national broadcaster aims for neutrality, during the first years the news strongly emphasise the celebration of the Israeli state and the marketing of potential travel destinations. Over the years, the tone of the news changes after the Six-Day War, the aircraft hijacking and the hostage crisis at the Munich Olympics. The tone grows darker as the distress of Palestinians gets more airtime.

Because of its length, the film also succeeds in portraying the inner turmoil of some Israelis and their struggle against Zionism. The documentary displays the accusations of Nazism against the prime minister Golda Meir, but also prime minister David Ben-Gurion’s confession that Israel owns too much land.

The film and its materials end with the Cold War and a promise of a brighter future. For a contemporary viewer, there is no need to take the film to the current day, as we are already surrounded by infernal imagery from Palestine. Thirty years ago, peace seemed to be a possibility. The documentary makes you wonder if it is possible now.

Otto Kylmälä (translated by Johanna Järvinen)