Paradise Now Reflection

Paradise Now is a movie about two childhood friends, Khaled and Said, who live in Nablus on the West Bank. Ali Suliman plays Khaled and Kais Nashef plays Said. The two are mechanics that belong to a radical terrorist movement that is planning on carrying out their first suicide bombing in two years. Early on you can tell that Khaled does not enjoy working at the mechanic shop because the first scene show himself and Said helping a customer with the front bumper on his car. The man claims that the bumper is not straight and he wants to speak with the owner of the shop. After minutes of arguing Khaled becomes angered with the customer and picks up an object that he uses to smash the side of the bumper that the customer claims is out of line. Khaled gets fired from his job because of this action.

Jamal, played by Amer Hlehel, is Khaled and Said’s handler for the terrorist group in the movie. He is the first person to contact the two for the planned suicide bombing. When he first talks about the mission he states how Khaled and Said were chosen to carry out the mission together, like they wanted. I believe Jamal states that they were chosen together, like Khaled and Said wanted, as a way to keep them committed to carrying out the mission. The men are told the attack will take place the next day at a crowded military checkpoint in Israel. They are instructed to set off the bombs at two separate times, the second one being detonated 15 minutes after the first so that it will kill the cops that come in responding to the first bomb. Khaled and Said both record videos glorifying God and their cause, and a goodbye to their families and friends. The pair is then given haircuts, shaven, and clothed in suits, as to look like Israelis. Their ...

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...s to the Arab-Israeli conflict and life under military occupation. Being from the United States we don’t deal with terrorist groups recruiting for suicide bombing missions or have to watch our father be assassinated for collaborating with another government. I still don’t agree that suicide bombing is the answer to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict, but I now have a better understand as to why someone would think that is the best solution. The people of Nablus live in fear and do not enjoy their lives. They have to deal with dirty water, poor living and working conditions, and the constant threat of war in their backyard. Some of these people believe that the only way to become equal with their enemy is in death. They believe that these suicide bombing mission glorify their God and they are dying an honorable death when they fulfill one of these horrendous missions.