1. The interesting contrast between the community and the family made the Israeli-Palestinian tensions clearer. For both families, they were equally in mourning and hated that Ayat became a suicide bomber. However, some people in the community were also proud of Ayat's sacrifice and thought she was a martyr (like the woman who burst into hysterics in the mourning room). Both women were good girls, studying hard and loved by their peers and families. One particularly poignant moment is the time when Ayat's father confuses which picture on the Newsweek cover is of his daughter, noting how similar the two look.
2. The meeting between Rachel's mother and the failed suicide bomber is fraught with tension. First, there is the language barrier, which makes discussion difficult and frustrating. After they get a translator, Rachel's mother debates with the girl about whether it is right to martyr yourself, and she is frustrated as she cannot understand where they are coming from. The suicide bomber debates the validity of the Israeli state with Rachel's mother.
I believe that the mother wanted to meet with her because she could not meet Ayat, but still wanted to understand the mindset that would lead to her daughter being killed. In some way, she also wanted to convey the sorrow that she feels at her daughter dying, and wanted to have the suicide bomber know how she felt and maybe make her change her mind.
3. The meeting between the mothers is extremely tense. The attitude before the meeting is already precarious, as Rachel's mother wishes to take revenge for her daughter's death by telling them that she hates them, while Ayat's mother just wants to be able to relate to Rachel's mother and accommodate her. When they finally conduct the meeting, it begins as cautiously courteous, but tensions begin to flare when they talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a whole. Ayat's mother becomes defensive and tells Rachel's mother that she is the occupier. They eventually form a rift, as they cannot reconcile one mother's hatred for killing with another mother's frustration at the occupation.
In the interview, Ayat's mother asks one final question - "What is the solution that gives me my rights?" With that, the outcome is decided that they cannot come to a solution regarding how to relate to each other, and the interview ends. Their arguments are too politically charged to really get through to the pain of what they felt about their daughters' deaths - they were too focused on the Palestinian anger at the occupation and Rachel's mother's admonishment of killing.
4. This documentary sheds light on many of the religious conflicts that take place in the Israeli-Palestinian area, including the issue of the legitimacy of the Palestinian state. Religious extremism can often take perfectly innocent people and turn them into killers, all for the sake of a higher religious goal. Martyrdom is often a highly exalted thing in religious practice, as it offers the ultimate sacrifice for one's faith. However, it has to be really examined from all sides in order to make it more understandable. The line between resistance and terrorism is also explored in the documentary, as some people see suicide bombings as a defense of legitimate rights, while others see it as infringing on their freedoms and an act of brutal murder.
References
"To Die in Jerusalem."
