The International State Crime Initiative (ISCI) was delighted to welcome Mohammad Bakri and Michael Sfard for a screening of the documentary ‘Jenin, Jenin’ (2002, 54 min), and a discussion of Israeli Court’s recent ruling to ban the film. The online event was chaired by Neve Gordon (Queen Mary University of London, School of Law).
‘Jenin, Jenin’, a documentary by Mohammad Bakri, tells the story of Israel’s extensive military operation in the Jenin refugee camp during the Second Intifada from the Palestinian residents’ point of view. Over a period of almost two decades, various lawsuits and petitions were filed against Bakri, as part of an ongoing political campaign to stifle criticism of Israel’s rights abusive policies, and particularly the use of artistic platforms to voice such criticism. Following a libel suit filed by an IDF soldier, in January, 2021, an Israeli District Court banned all screenings of ‘Jenin, Jenin’, instructed the confiscation of all the film’s copies, and ordered Bakri to compensate the plaintiff and cover his expenses at a sum of almost 50,000 pounds.
