In June 1967, at the end of the Six-Day War, Israel literally tripled its territory, occupying the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. Hundreds of thousands of settlers have made homes in these Occupied Territories since that time - their presence making a peace agreement with the Palestinians infinitely more complex. "The Settlers" takes their full measure-its focus ranging from opportunistic families to Western-style hippies, religious extremists to idealistic farmers. Israeli intellectuals, politicos, and academics weigh in on this conundrum. How can approximately a half-million people be allowed to stand in the way of a Middle Eastern peace settlement the world so desperately needs?

Film Forum                                         209 West Houston            www.filmforum.org