Wallbreakers | A Documentary about Friendship of Jews and Arabs

Jews and Arabs are often associated with division, hate, and bitterness. However, in the documentary Wallbreakers, three Arabs and three Jewish individuals living in Israel share their inspiring stories of overcoming hate. This powerful film showcases how individuals who have experienced conflict with each other have managed to transform their enemies into friends, embracing forgiveness and love.

Filmed in the summer of 2017 across Israel, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Nazareth, the documentary captures the prevailing bitterness between Jews and Arabs during its production. Despite the filming team’s efforts, none of the Arabs from the Palestinian territories could be interviewed, as public involvement with Jewish individuals in a film would put their lives at risk.

The Wallbreakers documentary was partially motivated by the rise of terrorist attacks in Europe and Western countries, which brought forth new waves of fear and hatred in affected nations. During the team’s previous documentary project, Plan A in Israel, they discovered that, contrary to popular belief, there were various levels of interaction between Arabs and Jews in the country.

Thus, it was a natural progression for the Hurttimurtti team to return to Israel and explore how some individuals, both Jews and Arabs, managed to overcome their deep-seated hatred, bitterness, and desire for revenge. The team was also eager to learn from their experiences.

The longstanding history of hatred between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East is well-known. However, these two peoples are not the only ones plagued by animosity. Similar forms of hate exist and have been increasing in the Western world, albeit often in milder forms. Hate always fuels division.

Hate often leads to the construction of metaphorical walls as a means of self-protection when feeling threatened by others. Wallbreakers offers a radical answer to how even the most extreme hatred can be transformed into love.