The Matzpen Commission on the Military Rule
Director: Einat Weizman
Historian and Protocol editor: Adam Raz
Incollabortaion: Akevot Institute
Actor: Gil Frank
Activists: Avi Glezerman, Aviva Ein-Gil, Avishai Erlich, Ehud Ein-Gil, Udi Tamuz, Udi Adiv, Ahmad Masawreh, Ilan Manulis, Ilan Shalif, Amira Gelblum, Esti Mizenmacer, Arie Finkelshtein, Giora Noiman, Hezel Shubert, Hava Lerman, Lea Tsemel, Lola Horovitz, Ali ElAzhari. Rami Livne, Tamar Selbi.
Background
For 19 years, until 1966, most Palestinian citizens of Israel lived under Military Rule. About 85% of the country’s Palestinian citizens, roughly 125,000 people with Israeli citizenship, were under military rule in three areas: North, Center (Triangle) and Naqab. The Military Rule drew its powers from the Defense (Emergency) Regulations 1945, enacted and used by the British Mandate. It remained in place until December 1966.
Officially, the objective of the Military Rule - throughout its existence - was national security. During and after the war, the Military Rule focused its activities on securing control over areas inhabited by Palestinians and Palestinian villages and lands depopulated during the fighting; monitoring Palestinian citizens’ movement and activities and preventing the return of Palestinians to areas occupied during 1948.
A review of historical records of the time reveals the security argument was designed to conceal the hidden objectives underpinning the Military Rule, namely, creating a regime of dependency, control, and differentiation for Israel’s Palestinian citizens. In practice, the Military Rule served as a powerful tool in the hands of the Israeli state for taking over land, preventing political and civil organization, securing the interests of specific political circles, regulating the labor market, and more.
During this time, its functions were investigated by a battery of government-appointed committees, which heard testimonies from military governors, senior military officials, ministers and the subjects of the Military Rule themselves, in secrecy, behind closed doors. Many of the transcript pages containing these testimonies have been declassified in recent years thanks to Akevot institute work. Now, these testimonies, which offer a glimpse into the collective consciousness and personal attitudes of the people who planned, designed and implemented the Military Rule, are taking to the stage.
The play
The play is a reading of the protocols of the commission of inquiry on the military government. One professional actor is portraying the commission of inquiry.
The "actors" who read the different respondents are 20 members of the anti Zionist movement Matzpen. Matzpen (Hebrew: Compass) is the name of a revolutionary socialist and anti-Zionist organization, founded in 1962 which was active until the 1980s. Mazpen was the only radical leftist organization of its time, which called for the recognition of Palestinian national rights, called for the abolition of the Zionist character of Israel, supported the return of refugees, expressed readiness for territorial concessions and strived for a common life based on full equality.
Some of the members paid heavy prices, served time in prison, were beaten, threatened, arrested, tracked, fired, and ended up in poverty. Despite this, to this day, the people who will take the stage are still active.
Some of the members were instrumental in the long struggle to abolish the Military Rule, now portraying the witnesses appearing before the committees.
Alongside with Mazpen, on stage are the Drummers- the young and new generation of the anti Zionist left. Young people who are devoted to co resist with the Palestinians, who are calling to refuse to serve in the army and who are standing with the Palestinian struggle for freedom and equality.
