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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 23 January 2021
'Human Factor' gets personal about Mideast peace

By JOCELYN NOVECK Israeli Prime Minister Benja-
AP National Writer min Netanyahu and King
Ready for a documentary Hussein of Jordan. Ross de-
about three decades of scribes an offended Husse-
agonizing fits and starts of in admonishing Netanyahu
the Mideast peace pro- as if he were a wayward
cess, from the perspective schoolboy: "You don't have
of U.S. negotiators? You're the maturity to be a lead-
probably thinking that er," he tells him, according
doesn't sound too enticing to Ross. "You have to grow
right about now. up and become a leader."
But there's a reason "The There's silence in the room.
Human Factor," by Israeli At another point, Ross de-
filmmaker Dror Moreh, es- scribes Clinton exclaiming
capes what would seem about Netanyahu: "Who
a likely fate of being inter- does he think the super-
esting only to policy wonks power is?"
and those with a direct This is, of course, after the
stake in the issue, and it death of Prime Minister Yit-
has something to do with zhak Rabin at the hands of
the title. It's a reference to a Jewish extremist in 1995,
a line from Dennis Ross, the as he pursued peace. The
best-known negotiator of film effectively portrays the
the bunch. grudging respect that had
"You can't ignore the hu- slowly formed between
man factor," he says at the Rabin and Arafat, from
beginning. "Someone who a moment when shaking
has a human touch treats President Bill Clinton, center, looks on as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, left, and PLO leader hands was a painful ges-
someone else with respect. Yasser Arafat shake hands in the East Room of the White House after signing the Mideast accord ture to a time when Arafat
Someone who has a hu- in Washington on Sept. 28, 1995. would casually drape his
man touch doesn't think Associated Press arm across Rabin's back.
they're going to outsmart For this viewer, the most
anybody." entourage watching "The Clinton's presidency, Ross to Obama; Martin Indyk, "human" factor of the film
The film goes on to prove Golden Girls" on TV. looks over at his boss' note- twice the U.S. ambassador comes with the shock over
the point, threading a deli- The film is full of such hu- pad during a crucial meet- to Israel; and negotiators Rabin's death, especially
cate line between giving us manizing touches, not just ing. Clinton is writing: "Focus Gamal Helal, Aaron David from Ross himself. The ne-
necessary facts and sound- about Arafat but about Is- on your job. Focus on your Miller and Daniel Kurtzer. gotiator recounts that he'd
ing like a dry history lesson. raeli leaders and American job." Through these men, espe- been taking one of his chil-
But the value is in the small, ones, too. Like Bill Clinton, The film traces the long slog cially Ross, we get a close- dren home from a doctor's
and yes, human details -- depicted here as a man on of peace efforts through up view of world leaders visit when he was paged
like the fact that Palestinian a career-defining mission archival footage and in- and how they behaved be- by Secretary of State War-
leader Yasser Arafat took to achieve a peace deal. terviews with key nego- hind closed doors. There's a ren Christopher.
it upon himself to cut Ross' One small but stunning tiators: Ross, who played fascinating description of Once the news sunk, Ross'
chicken for him when they anecdote: As the Monica a huge role for more than a meal in the small dining wife had to explain to their
ate together. Or the in- Lewinsky scandal is break- a decade, working for room off the Oval Office children why Dad was cry-
congruous sight of Arafat's ing, casting a cloud over presidents from Reagan between Clinton, Arafat, ing. q

Tom Brokaw says he's retiring from NBC News after 55 years

NEW YORK (AP) — NBC News veteran Tom Brokaw said Friday that he is retiring Brokaw began at NBC in its "During one of the most
from the network after 55 Los Angeles bureau in the complex and consequen-
years. 1960s, where he covered tial eras in American history,
Brokaw, author of "The Ronald Reagan's first run for a new generation of NBC
Greatest Generation," public office and the assas- News journalists, producers
was NBC's lead anchor at sination of Robert F. Ken- and technicians is provid-
"Nightly News" and for big nedy. ing America with timely,
events for more than 20 He was a White House cor- insightful and critically im-
years before giving way to respondent during Richard portant information, 24/7."
Brian Williams in 2004. Nixon's presidency, and be- Brokaw said. "I could not be
The 80-year-old newsman gan co-hosting the "Today" more proud of them."q
did documentaries and show in 1976. He started 6 3 7 5 1 2 9 8 4
made other appearances hosting "Nightly News" in
for the networks after that, 1983. 4 1 5 6 9 8 7 3 2
but he has fought cancer For two decades, the trium- 9 2 8 7 3 4 5 6 1
and his television appear- virate of Brokaw, ABC's Pe- 3 4 2 9 5 7 8 1 6
ances have been more ter Jennings and CBS' Dan 8 9 1 3 2 6 4 7 5
sporadic. Rather were the nation's 5 7 6 8 4 1 3 2 9 2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
He said he will continue to most visible broadcasters, 1 6 3 4 7 5 2 9 8
"NBC Nightly News" anchor Tom Brokaw delivers his closing re-
marks during his final broadcast, in New York on Dec. 1, 2004. be active in print journal- anchoring major stories like 7 8 4 2 6 9 1 5 3
Associated Press ism, writing books and ar- the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist 2 5 9 1 8 3 6 4 7
ticles. attacks. Difficulty Level 1/23