This week, in memory of Yitzhak Rabin, my husband and I went
to see a biopic of his life. The film, Rabin
in His Own Words (by Erez Laufer) was a compelling and insightful documentary
film.
It covers both Rabin's private and
public lives and begins with his childhood and the early period, including his early days in the Palmach, his military service in the IDF, his political career up to and including the Oslo Accords.
The entire narration is from Rabin's interviews, speeches and letters,
which is quite a remarkable feat, and the visuals include wonderful family photos and very special archival footage.
In my husband Ron's review of the film on his blog for the Times of
Israel , he wrote that "This was one of the most beautiful and
inspiring Israeli documentaries that I have ever seen, and I was very moved by
it. It was personal, poignant and professionally done." For the complete review see his blog.
The film offers a loving portrait of the man, but it doesn't
hesitate to grapple with difficult issues, including the forced evacuation of
the Arabs of Lod during the War of Independence, his 24-hour panic attack prior
to the Six Day War, and his wife's bank account in Washington DC which was the
trigger that forced him to resign after his first period as prime minister and
which opened the door for the Likud to win the ensuing elections. More importantly, the film covers the man's
greatest achievements, including his intensive work with Kissinger, during the
period of shuttle diplomacy, to pave the way for peace with Egypt, and the
tremendously brave step he took in signing a peace agreement with Yasser
Arafat. With hindsight, many might
belittle the Oslo Accords, but it is clear that this is what
permitted Rabin to conclude a peace agreement with Jordan and opened the door
for the Vatican to finally formally recognize the State of Israel.
Rabin in His Own Words (documentary, 112 minutes) is distributed by Menemsha Films. and from Docs for Education.
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