This Land Is Mine

It is a small strip of land but whether you call it or some of its respective parts Israel, Palestine, Canaan – or any other name (which no doubt would smell as sweet) then one thing is for sure – it has been fought over and for an awfully long time.  Here Nina Paley gives us a potted history all to the tune of This Land is Mine sung by Andy Williams.

We start at pre-history and early man.  From there we go from the arrival of the Canaanites quickly conquered by the Egyptians.  From there it is inexorably onwards, in quick order, to the Assyrians and then the Israelites.  In fact, I will stop there – this remarkable animation (for body count alone) takes us all the way to the modern day with Palestinians, the British, Zionists, the PLO and Hezbollah.  It is quite a ride and the last one standing will be? Paley doesn’t hold back on what she thinks the final historical outcome of all this fighting will be.

For a full list of the nations involved in this millennia old struggle, visit Nina Paley’s blog where all will become clear.