JUDAH & MOHAMMAD Tuesday 31 July 8pm
Being a teenager is tough, but what is it like to grow up in the shadow of military conflict and occupation? As violence in the Middle East reaches boiling point, Judah & Mohammad is an intimate portrait of two teenage boys, one Israeli and one Palestinian, filmed over 18 months.
For the first time, cameras have been given access to Israeli and Palestinian classrooms, revealing how they are being prepared for an uncertain future at this critical juncture of the conflict. For both Judah and Mohammad, school history lessons are as much about the present as they are about the past. History is not just another academic subject, but an ongoing force informing, even defining, the way they see the world.
Judah
Judah is one of the smartest kids in his year, but to the frustration of his teachers, he has attitude problems and a nose for trouble. At home, Judah is the "man of the house", as his mum is single-handedly raising him and his younger brother and sister. Like 30% of Israelis living below the poverty line, Judah's mum struggles to make ends meet. Judah has a strained relationship with his mum, and relies on his friends, in particular his girlfriends, for support. When he finishes school, he will have to spend at least three years in the Israeli Defense Force. He understands that things must change if he is to realise his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. While he has considered the dangers involved, he strongly believes it is his duty to serve Israel.
Mohammad
Mohammad lives less than 30 kilometers east of Tel Aviv, in the city of Ramallah. Born at the time of the first Intifada, occupation is all he has ever known. As he approaches adulthood, he is becoming more politically aware and wants to be involved in the resistance to the occupation. During filming, Mohammad is arrested for demonstrating against the separation wall, and is beaten and imprisoned for seven days. When he returns to school, his teachers congratulate him on his actions, and his experiences as a "living martyr" bring him a newfound respect and status among his friends. He is cast in the lead role of the school play, playing a martyr killed by Israeli troops. He believes that Palestinians must continue to struggle until the occupation ends and suggests that until the Israelis stop seeing him and his people as terrorists, there can be no real hope of peace.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Where do you stand on the Israel/Palestine divide? Share your views on the troubled region in our Forums and catch up on all the latest news, opinion and video from the Middle East at the Channel 4 News website.
Being a teenager is tough, but what is it like to grow up in the shadow of military conflict and occupation? As violence in the Middle East reaches boiling point, Judah & Mohammad is an intimate portrait of two teenage boys, one Israeli and one Palestinian, filmed over 18 months.
For the first time, cameras have been given access to Israeli and Palestinian classrooms, revealing how they are being prepared for an uncertain future at this critical juncture of the conflict. For both Judah and Mohammad, school history lessons are as much about the present as they are about the past. History is not just another academic subject, but an ongoing force informing, even defining, the way they see the world.
Judah
Judah is one of the smartest kids in his year, but to the frustration of his teachers, he has attitude problems and a nose for trouble. At home, Judah is the "man of the house", as his mum is single-handedly raising him and his younger brother and sister. Like 30% of Israelis living below the poverty line, Judah's mum struggles to make ends meet. Judah has a strained relationship with his mum, and relies on his friends, in particular his girlfriends, for support. When he finishes school, he will have to spend at least three years in the Israeli Defense Force. He understands that things must change if he is to realise his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. While he has considered the dangers involved, he strongly believes it is his duty to serve Israel.
Mohammad
Mohammad lives less than 30 kilometers east of Tel Aviv, in the city of Ramallah. Born at the time of the first Intifada, occupation is all he has ever known. As he approaches adulthood, he is becoming more politically aware and wants to be involved in the resistance to the occupation. During filming, Mohammad is arrested for demonstrating against the separation wall, and is beaten and imprisoned for seven days. When he returns to school, his teachers congratulate him on his actions, and his experiences as a "living martyr" bring him a newfound respect and status among his friends. He is cast in the lead role of the school play, playing a martyr killed by Israeli troops. He believes that Palestinians must continue to struggle until the occupation ends and suggests that until the Israelis stop seeing him and his people as terrorists, there can be no real hope of peace.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Where do you stand on the Israel/Palestine divide? Share your views on the troubled region in our Forums and catch up on all the latest news, opinion and video from the Middle East at the Channel 4 News website.