Arnon in the Philly Weekly: “whether you’re for it or against it, this is the price you have to pay”
Occupy eyed
by Jeffrey Barg
Can you do everything you’re told, and still be wrong? “Breaking the Silence” is an exhibit of mostly words and photographs taken by and of Israeli soldiers patrolling the West Bank. “American Jewry supports Israel as if they live there,” says 27–year–old Arnon Degani, a Tel Aviv native who’s presenting the exhibit with Yehuda Shaul, “but they don’t know what’s happening on the ground.” Some of the photos are stark and journalistic, but most are mundane snapshots. The subject matter ranges from blindfolded Palestinians detained for breaking curfew, to bullet holes in windows, to Israeli soldiers hanging out and having a good time. They don’t explicitly pass judgment or suggest an alternative, but rather ask viewers to acknowledge the harsh realities of occupation—whether in the West Bank or in Baghdad. ”It can’t be done differently,” says Degani. “If you side with the occupation and are willing to pay the moral price, I can’t argue with that. But whether you’re for it or against it, this is the price you have to pay.”
