BTS: the IDF’s magnum opus

Mairav Zonszein By Mairav Zonszein December 15, 2010 | Edit

The compilation of testimonies published by Breaking the Silence is a work of art. Everything about it – from impetus, to conception, to structure, to execution – is profoundly thoughtful and contains all the elements of a masterpiece: a powerful concept; commentary on culture, politics and society; originality in approach and scope; mastery of the subject matter and of technique; audacity; and the fact that it is freely accessible to all. Its very purpose is to give voice to the silence and free all the skeletons from their closet.

Its four chapters are divided according to theme. Each theme represents a term used by the IDF to describe its policy in the Occupied Territories: “Prevention,” “Separation,” “Fabric of Life” and “Law Enforcement.” Each chapter consists of testimonials that expose the colossal cracks in each signifier and each testimonial is a conversation, a dialogue, an exploration and a revelation.

The content makes you question your surroundings, break down myths, and forces you to grapple with the subtle differences between reality and illusion, clarity and murkiness, good and evil, I and Other.

Another writer on this website said it is Breaking the Silence’s “greatest tome to date.” But it is much much more than that. It is a masterpiece, and it is not just Breaking the Silence’s but the entire Israel Defense Forces’ greatest piece of work to date. The military industry’s magnum opus. And by extension, all of Israel’s.

Read More on Breaking the Silence‘s report:

Breaking the Silence: The testimonies (part I)

Joseph Dana: the moral corruption of Israeli society

Yuval Ben-Ami: The birth of tragedy from the spirit of occupation

Mairav Zonszein

Mairav Zonszein is a journalist and editor who writes about Israel-Palestine and its role in U.S. politics. Her publications include The Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books, The Intercept, VICE News, Foreign Policy and many more.

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