There Is Another Way

After 7 October 2023 and the war that followed, the idea of Israelis and Palestinians grieving together and continuing to work side by side can seem almost impossible. That impossibility is exactly what the documentary There Is Another Way explores, giving a voice to people on both sides of the conflict who have lost loved ones and who have chosen a different path instead of revenge.

In just 67 minutes, Israeli and Palestinian stories are woven together. The film does not argue over which side has suffered more; instead, it asks what happens when, even in the deepest grief, a person is still able to recognise the humanity of the other.

This is not an easy film to watch. Apkon does not soften the reality -  bombed-out neighbourhoods, shattered testimonies and anger rising on both sides. And yet, the film is carried by a conviction that things do not have to remain this way.

The film follows members of the joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation Combatants for Peace, their work and the challenges they have faced since 7 October 2023. Combatants for Peace was founded by former Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters who decided to turn away from violence and work together for peace and a shared future.

After the screening, the Elektriteater audience will have a unique opportunity to hear directly from and ask questions to representatives of Combatants for Peace about one of the world’s most closely followed conflicts.

Joining us from Palestine is Sulaiman Khatib, who took part in the resistance movement as a young man and spent years in an Israeli prison. Today, he is a co-founder of Combatants for Peace, its Director of International Relations, and one of the people featured in the documentary.

Also joining us is Mia Biran from Israel, who served in the Israeli military and now leads Combatants for Peace’s Israeli programmes. Her work focuses on creating opportunities for Israelis and Palestinians to find paths towards dialogue and cooperation even in conditions of deep division.

The event is organised by International House Tartu.