Heart of Jenin is the story of Ahmed Khatib, a Palestinian boy from the Refugee Camp of Jenin, who was shot by the Israeli Army. Despite his grief, his father Ismael decides to donate his son’s organs to six Israeli children and save their lives.¹

By watching this documentary it’d be so tempting to damn jews once again as reckless fascist fucktards who first mistakenly shoot a victimized Palestinian kid, then “take” his organs and act rude towards his family. Even though “Heart of Jenin” is basically a well-crafted, well-thought, consistent and surprisingly well working uplifting and deeply human story, it loses way too much impact by relativizing itself. Instead of making it about character and character only (Ismael is a very absorbing personality) it decides, and that’s delicate, on recapitulating the events which took place in Jenin back in 2005. This turn of narration unfortunately drowns the heart of the story – and what’s even worse, by ignoring the complex contexts of the conflict to a western audience.

It’s neither fish nor fowl. It’d be a good – granted, with truckloads of pathos – fish if it just were a fish and it’d be ok – critically reflecting on the situation – fowl if it decided to be fowl. What remains is the unsatisfying feeling that even minutes after credits you probably have forgotten the kid’s name and still have no clue why they’re tolchocking each other down there.

More: Film Review : Heart of Jenin, by CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America)

¹ The Heart of Jenin, Filmperspektive GmbH