Season 5 – Episode 21 – “Gaza”

Episode Summary:

A fact-finding tour to the hotly disputed Gaza Strip includes Donna (Janel Moloney), Admiral Fitzwallace (John Amos) and a few congressmen as they sort through the thicket of rival issues between the Palestinians and Israelis — but the killing fields soon claim some of the delegation when a deadly bomb shatters their vehicle and has the President (Martin Sheen) considering targets for military action. In flashbacks, Donna is attracted to a dashing British photojournalist (Jason Isaacs) who opens her eyes to his graphic world of recording mankin’s most heinous acts of violence.

Script:

THE WEST WING
5X21 - "GAZA"

 WRITTEN BY PETER NOAH
 DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER MISIANO

TRANSCRIBED BY SOUNDMAN FOR TWIZ TV.COM
 SEND FEEDBACK TO [email protected].

==========================
 DISCLAIMER:
 ==========================
 "THE WEST WING" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and (c) by Aaron
 Sorkin, John Wells Productions, Warner Brothers Television in association
 with NBC. All Rights Reserved. This transcript is posted here without their
 permission, approval, authorization or endorsement. Any reproduction,
 duplication, distribution or display of this material in any form or by
 any means is expressly prohibited. It is absolutely forbidden to use it
 for commercial gain. For Entertainment and Educational purposes only. No
 infringement intended.
 ==========================
 TRANSCRIPT:
 ==========================

TEASER

FADE IN: EXT. - GAZA - DAY
EREZ CHECKPOINT

We open on a shot of a young man kicking a soccer ball. We then pan around
to see shots of the checkpoint. We move through the market place and see
many people moving around and many voices and sounds. We then focus on Andy
and Fitzwallace walking to the cars.

ANDY
Four days, and I'm still not adjusted. 2:00 a.m., staring at the ceiling.

FITZWALLACE
Those briefing books should put you right out.

ANDY
Good idea. I should get somebody to hit me over the head with one.

CONGRESSMAN KORB
They're a displaced population.

CONGRESSMAN DESANTOS
Displaced?! The Palestinians moved what, 15, 20 miles? Did you ever move? I
grew up in Dayton.

KORB
They're still refugees.

FITZWALLACE
You know, after 50 years, one option might be to get over it.

We see Donna walk up.

DONNA
Feels even hotter today. Is that possible?

ANDY
You enjoy your break?

DONNA
Wasn't what you think.

MAN
Let's go folks, we're moving out.

DONNA
Black cars? Good choice for this climate.

FITZWALLACE
Everybody's this angry now, what must it have been like before air
conditioning?

He laughs as he gets in the car. We see a photojournalist snap several
pictures of Donna as she is getting into the suburban. The car takes off
and she rolls up her window as they do.

CUT TO: INT. - SUBURBAN - DAY

FITZWALLACE
Yeah, travel, learn about cultures, meet new friends. What do photographers
say now that the old "Come up and see my darkroom" line has gone the way of
the dodo?

DONNA
They offer their high-speed...

An explosion takes place right outside the window where Donna is sitting. The
suburban is thrown several feet into the air and lands up-side down with the
rear wheels spinning. We see the other cars quickly turn to get back to the
crashed suburban. We see weapon-carrying guards begin sprinting to the crash
site. The photojournalist from before takes off running and soon outstrips
the guards on his way to the car. When he gets there, another guard holds
him back from the car. He begins to take photos of the car, including Donna,
who we see through her window. She is upside down, unconscious, and bleeding
in several spots. We see a look of worry on his face as he sees Donna the
way she is.

SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES.
END TEASER.
* * *

ACT ONE

FADE IN: INT. - AIRPLANE - NIGHT

We see the many people on the airplane as we see Josh sitting in his seat.

CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY - WHITE HOUSE - DAY

We see Toby and Josh walking down the hallway and they are talking.

TOBY
You hear from Donna?

JOSH
Yeah, I get these daily, interminable e-mails that I have no time to
read. Donna doesn't seem to have mastered pith.

TOBY

Le mot juste.

JOSH
Donna's style is more like le mots 'mo. You hear from Andy?

TOBY
Concision's not her problem. Everyday the same three little words: "See your
children." Before e-mail it was a lot harder for your ex-wife to hock you
from 6,000 miles away.

JOSH
Are the kids with Andy's mom?

TOBY
The very definition of an approach-avoidance situation.

He walks into the Communication Office. C.J. is waiting for him.

C.J.
Say you're from Minnesota.

TOBY
I'm from Minnesota.

C.J.
No, we're pretending you're from there.

TOBY
We're not, actually.

C.J.
And you'd like prescription drugs from Canada.

TOBY
What do I have?

C.J.
Not important.

TOBY
It could be clouding my judgment.

C.J.
You're no fun anymore.

TOBY
I'm having fun.

C.J.
Minnesota just set up an official state web site linked to Canadian pharmacies
for the importation of cheap drugs in violation of federal law.

TOBY
We're no longer pretending?

C.J.
I'm getting calls wondering why the administration's not interested in
enforcing this ban. Curiosity as to what other federal statutes the White
House is planning to simply ignore.

TOBY
Shouldn't somebody be applauding our bold affirmation for states' rights?

C.J.
Is that what we're doing?

TOBY
Not really.

C.J.
We need a policy. Hoping no one would notice seems to have run its course.

TOBY
I'll get into it.

C.J.
Thanks.

TOBY
Right after I check on how the Timberwolves and Twins fared last night.

C.J.
Bit's over.

TOBY
Ok.

CUT TO: INT. - LEO'S OFFICE - DAY

Will comes into Leo's office from Margaret's.

WILL
Leo, you got a minute?

LEO
Just.

WILL
The Vice President attended a fundraiser in  Manhattan last night.

LEO
Heard he did well.

WILL
Try to keep the amazement out of your voice.

LEO
Think I was trying to pay you a compliment.

WILL
He got questioned about this Mideast trip.

LEO
It's a CODEL - has nothing to do with administration policy.

WILL
They wanted to know whether the White House was contemplating active
re-engagement in the peace process.

LEO
It's a tar baby. Sisyphus. Hijacks your entire agenda, lands everyone back
where they started, only angrier, if that's possible.

CUT TO: INT. - PLANE - NIGHT

Josh is sitting at his seat and he has his laptop open on his lap. He opens
an e-mail from Donna and we here her voice narrating.

DONNA [VO]
Josh, Arrived, Gaza. Couldn't even unpack. By the way, still no comprehension
of the money. Probably criminally under- or over-tipping the entire
Palestinian service sector. Will either be run out on a rail or given a
parade upon leaving.

CUT TO: EXT. - GAZA - DAY

We see a shot of the area and we still hear Donna narrating.

DONNA [VO][cont.]
We were immediately whisked down to a meeting with the Fatah leaders.

CUT TO: INT. - MEETING ROOM - GAZA - DAY

We see many people sitting around a table and they are talking. Donna can
still be heard narrating.

DONNA [VO][cont.]
If that sounds fascinating, then you've gotten more out of the description
than the experience, I promise you. Turns out Palestinian politicians are
just as coma inducing as our domestic variety.

MAN #1
These incursions are designed as provocations. Tanks roll in. This naturally
excites resistance, which then is used as a pretext for armed assault.

ANDY
But you'd agree that the Israeli army doesn't set out to target these
innocents.

MAN #2
No, I do not agree.

FITZWALLACE
As opposed to Palestinian suicide bombers on buses and pizza parlors.

We focus on Donna who is taking notes of the meeting. A man, the
photojournalist from the opening sequence, named COLIN AYRES, comes and sits
next to Donna.

COLIN
"Same old story, same old song and dance," eh.

DONNA
Don't expect to meet many Aerosmith fans in  Gaza.

COLIN
Colin Ayres. Photojournalist.

DONNA
The cameras were a big hint.

FITZWALLACE
400 Fatah members recently resigned in protest over alleged financial abuses
and corruption in your leadership.

MAN #1
This is not what we must discuss. 60% of Gaza live below the poverty line.

MAN #2
Gaza is a open-air Palestinian prison.

COLIN
You'll never understand anything about Gaza by listening to the politicians.

DONNA
Or with you distracting me.

COLIN
Fair enough. Hey, I'll let you listen in peace if you meet me in the bar
when this ends.

DONNA
I don't know how long...

COLIN
I'll wait.

CUT TO: INT. - BAR - GAZA - DAY

We see Donna walk in and over to the bar where Colin is sitting.

COLIN
Hi.

DONNA
Hi.

COLIN
What would you like?

DONNA
Uh, juice, please.

COLIN
(speaks Arabic)

They sit.

COLIN
Among the tribulations in Gaza: the inability to get a proper pint. So,
what's your pleasure when you're not being subjugated by fundamentalists?

DONNA
"Rusty Nail." Old-fashioned girl.

COLIN
Alluring.

DONNA
My dad's drink. Still enchanted?

COLIN
Less.

DONNA
So, is this your routine? Scout the new arrivals and make for the nearest
blonde?

COLIN
Mm-hmm. Well, not always blonde.

DONNA
What's wrong with attending conferences?

COLIN
You're fact-finding. Why is that? I mean, there's more to understand in Gaza
than facts.

The bartender sets their drinks down.

COLIN
Cheers. To an old-fashioned girl.

Donna laughs.

COLIN
What?

DONNA
I'm sorry, that was just really cheesy. I'd hate to see you blow the whole
dashing, mysterioso, foreign correspondent thing.

COLIN
Thanks very much.

DONNA
So show me.

COLIN
What?

DONNA
The real Gaza.

COLIN
See what I was hoping...

DONNA
I know what you were hoping. So when do we start?

CUT TO: INT. - PLANE - NIGHT

Josh is still sitting at his computer. We hear Donna begin narrating again.

DONNA [VO]
When you get out of the hotel meeting rooms and into the streets, what hits
you about Gaza isn't the overcrowding or poverty.

CUT TO: EXT. - STOREFRONT - GAZA - DAY

We see a cab pull up and stop outside the storefront area. Colin and Donna
get out. Donna finishes narrating the portion of the letter.

DONNA [VO][cont.]
You've been briefed about that. What strikes you is something else:
idleness. The sense of the people waiting but with no expectation. It's hard
to convey.

COLIN
Ashraf!

ASHRAF
Colin!

COLIN

ASHRAF

COLIN

DONNA

ASHRAF

COLIN

ASHRAF

COLIN

ASHRAF

DONNA

COLIN

DONNA

COLIN

ASHRAF

MAN
(speaks Arabic)

ASHRAF

DONNA

ASHRAF

COLIN

ASHRAF

MAN
(speaks Arabic)

ASHRAF
(speaks Arabic)

CUT TO: INT. - PLANE - NIGHT

Josh is reading from his laptop. Donna is narrating the letter.

DONNA [VO]
When it's open, 19,000 Palestinians pass through the Erez Checkpoint to work
jobs in Israel. Fact. More later.

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - DAY
      8:17 AM
      DAY OF THE EXPLOSION

Josh is talking to Kate. As they talk they walk into Josh's office.

JOSH
We're not cutting cotton subsidies. We just went through a whole trade
thing. I'm not reopening that exploding can of worms. Since when is this
under the purview of the NSC?

HARPER
Maybe since heroin traffic started spiking in Europe.

JOSH
I'm about to come down with Globalization Headache Number Five, aren't I?

HARPER
When Afghan farmers can't afford to grow cotton, when they can't compete in
their own market with cheap U.S. textiles produced from subsidized crops,
they plant something else.

JOSH
Poppies.

HARPER
Fields and fields. Like someone colorized Nebraska.

JOSH
Well, maybe we should subsidize poppies.

Josh looks out into the hallway and notices that several people are rushing
around. Kate's beeper goes off and then Josh's goes off.

JOSH
Hang on.

He walks out into the hall. C.J. comes up to him.

JOSH
What's up?

C.J.
Explosion in Gaza; the CODEL. Some fatalities.

JOSH
Donna?

C.J.
It just happened. That's all I know.

Toby walks in from the lobby and we see concern on his face.

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE.
* * *

ACT TWO

FADE IN: INT. - JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - DAY

Several people are on the phone including C.J., Carol, and Josh.

CAROL
MSNBC's got it!

C.J.
I'm holding. I've been holding... Carol?

CAROL
I keep getting cut off.

C.J.
Try his cell phone directly.

CAROL
I'm trying.

C.J.
Not through the switchboard.

CAROL
I'm calling his cell phone in Gaza directly. And getting cut off.

Will walks up to C.J.

C.J.
Yep.

WILL
Do we know anything?

C.J.
We're trying the on-scene field producers' cell phones, but getting cut off.

WILL
Probably a little busy right now.

C.J.
Well, they could answer their phones... or not.

WILL
Donna, Andy...?

C.J.
We don't know anything yet. Carol?

CAROL
No one's getting through.

Toby's cell phone rings. He answers it.

TOBY
Hello. ... Andy? How are you? Are you okay? [to room] She's... she's all
right. She was in the other car and she's all right.

C.J.
Oh, my God! I see her!

TOBY
Where?

C.J.
On the right... on the cell phone. Right there.

TOBY
We can see you on TV, on the monitor.

She waves into the camera and Toby almost waves back.

JOSH
How's Donna?

TOBY
Two Congressmen confirmed dead. Korb and DeSantos.

JOSH
What about Donna?

TOBY
What about Donna? ... [to Josh] She was in the car that... Andy saw people
put in ambulances. That's all she knows. [into phone] Yeah. I'm just glad
that you're okay. I mean... just come home, will you? Just get the hell out
of there and come home.

CUT TO: INT. - LEO'S OFFICE - DAY

Leo is sitting at his desk. Kate is standing, and Leo looks as though Kate
has just told him some bad news. He gets up and they walk into the Oval
Office. Bartlet and Charlie come in from the portico.

LEO
Mr. President...

HARPER
Three dead, so far. Congressmen Desantos and Korb...

BARTLET
Oh, God...

LEO
And we just got word... Admiral Fitzwallace.

HARPER
There are others injured. They've been taken to area hospitals.

CHARLIE
Sir, I'll get the phone numbers of the Congressmen's families.

Charlie leaves. Kate leaves with him.

BARTLET
I asked Fitz to go.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Donna is sitting at a computer and is typing the letter to Josh. We hear
her voice narrating.

DONNA [VO]
Getting in and out of the Israeli settlement of Kfar Durom requires a military
escort. 500 mortar shells have landed there in the last three years. During
out pre-dinner break, I met an Israeli settler family. Two days before,
a mortar round had exploded in their kitchen.

CUT TO: EXT. - HOME - GAZA - DAY

Donna and Colin are talking with a man and a woman.

WOMAN
It came through the roof.

MAN
One half hour later, my wife would have been giving breakfast to our children.

WOMAN
Four others have fallen around the house.

COLIN
See, when the Palestinians get a hit, what they do is secure the launchers,
and that way they can make sure and repeat the strike.

DONNA
You must live in constant fear.

WOMAN
Our soldiers will find the mortar.

MAN
You replace the tile roof with concrete and pray.

DONNA
In Israel there's talk of giving up these settlements.

WOMAN
God wants us in this place. It is our divine, moral obligation to be here.

MAN
If we give in to the Arabs, they'll take more and more, and eventually we'll
all end up in Tel Aviv.

WOMAN
And then they'll take that.

DONNA
All of this... it doesn't make you want to leave?

MAN
This is the more safe environment.

WOMAN
In Jerusalem, when you see an Arab, you don't know. Here, if you see one,
you know he's dangerous, and you shoot him.

She walks off.

MAN
Please, excuse us.

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S OFFICE - DAY

Josh is on the phone.

JOSH
Moss, Moss. Donnatella Moss. Tall, blonde. Do you have any idea of her
condition, where she was taken? I understand. Is there anyone there... Yeah,
this is Josh Lyman calling from the White House. The White House. Yes, where
the President lives. I'm looking for information on one of the U.S. bombing
victims.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - DAY

Toby is on the phone. Will comes to the door.

TOBY
Are you kidding? Do you know the term "decent interval"? Go away.

Toby hangs up the phone.

TOBY
Magley from the DNC, wants to talk about who to run for the two vacant
House seats.

WILL
You're joking.

TOBY
They're still picking up pieces of these guys over there, he's talking about
DeSantos' poachable district.

WILL
What's he calling you for?

TOBY
He thought Josh'd be upset about Donna being in the car. I guess he figured
since my ex-wife was only almost blown up that I'd be only almost upset.

WILL
We're getting calls from AIPAC.

TOBY
Every ten minutes. Them and every other pro-Israel lobby. Half of them
trying not to sound happy it happened, the rest trying to avoid saying
"I told you so."

WILL
President giving an address?

TOBY
Tonight.

WILL
The Vice President would like to see an advance copy.

TOBY
To check my spelling, correct errors in syntax? Noted grammarian that he is.

WILL
It's an important speech.

TOBY
You're worried about the politics. You're worse than that clown from the DNC.

WILL
It's a major address about a national tragedy. The Vice President has an
understandable interest in the content. And yes, there's interest in the
political ramifications. That's what we all do for a living.

TOBY
Actually, some of us are trying to govern.

WILL
A heads-up. It's really not so much to ask.

TOBY
I'm polishing right up until air.

WILL
I'm glad Andy's okay.

TOBY
I wonder who they would have called had she been one of the ones killed.

WILL
Yeah.

CUT TO: INT. - BASEMENT - SITUATION ROOM DOOR - DAY

We see an officer open the door to the Situation Room. Bartlet and Leo walk in
and sit down. There are several people around the table, including Hutchinson,
Barrow, Kate, Alexander, and Sliger.

BARTLET
What do we know?

ALEXANDER
Road-side bomb detonated by cell phone.

HUTCHINSON
They knew they were targeting Americans. The black suburbans are well known
in the region.

SLIGER
Up till now, that's been advantageous.

BARROW
U.S. government officials have long been off-limits to Palestinian terror
groups.

BARTLET
That seems to have changed.

HARPER
What's striking, sir, is no claim of responsibility.

LEO
It's early yet.

HARPER
They usually can't take credit fast enough. Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic
Jihad... they've all rushed to announce they had nothing to do with this.

HUTCHINSON
They don't want to wake up to a cruise missile for breakfast.

BARTLET
What are we doing?

BARROW
State is in touch with the Palestinian Authority.

LEO
The President meant things that aren't a waste of our time.

HARPER
An FBI Investigative Team is en route.

SLIGER
Langley is coordinating with Mossad and Israeli military intelligence in
gathering information.

ALEXANDER
And then compiling a list of possible targets for retaliation.

BARTLET
Are there any? We can't just go and flatten some refugee camp.

HUTCHINSON
That's what we're trying to determine, sir.

LEO
Mr. President, the Palestinian Chairman's on the phone.

BARTLET
I'll bet he is. In here.

AIDE
Yes, sir.

The aide positions the phone so that Bartlet can speak and opens the line
with PALESTINIAN CHAIRMAN FARAD on it.

AIDE
You're on with the Chairman, sir.

BARTLET
Chairman Farad.

PALESTIAN CHAIRMAN FARAD
Mr. President, I want to convey my most profoundest and sincere sympathies
over this terrible...

BARTLET
Murder, Mr. Chairman.

FARAD
Yes, terrible. A criminal act.

BARTLET
The assassination of U.S. government officials - an act of war, some would say.

FARAD
The Palestinian Authority condemns this attack in the strongest terms. All
Palestinians condemn it.

BARTLET
Not the perpetrators, Mr. Chairman.

FARAD
They will be hunted down and made to suffer the maximum punishment. Swift
and harsh.

BARTLET
Do you know who they are?

FARAD
Criminals. Traitors. Mr. President, you must believe, no organized group
would do this. All understand that to target Americans would be catastrophic
to the Palestinian cause.

BARTLET
In this, Mr. Chairman, they are entirely correct.

FARAD
Again, Mr. President, my heartfelt condolences on this most barbaric act.

He hangs up.

LEO
Condolences?

SLIGER
Let's see what he has to say about it in Arabic for domestic consumption.

HUTCHINSON
He knows who did it.

BARROW
I'm sure that's what the Israelis will say.

HUTCHINSON
They've lived thirty years with this guy's track record.

HARPER
The Chairman's control over Gaza is not absolute. Hamas has a strong
powerbase there.

LEO
Sir...?

Bartlet stands. Everyone else does too.

BARTLET
I'd like to observe a moment of silence in commemoration of those dedicated
individuals who gave their lives in the service of their country this day.

They bow their heads in silence. Bartlet knocks once on the table before
speaking.

BARTLET
General, prepare contingency plans for retaliatory military action against
Palestinian terror targets, including the Chairman's headquarters.

He leaves. We see him walk out into the basement.

FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO.
* * *

ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. - MARGARET'S OFFICE - DAY

Leo comes up to Margaret's desk and begins looking for some files. While he
is, Kate comes up and speaks to him.

HARPER
Leo. You wanted to see me?

They walk into his office.

LEO
Yeah, listen. With Nancy McNally out of the country, you're going to have
to be our go-to... I was gonna say "guy". The problem with English: "guy"
is wrong, "gal" is patronizing, and "person" sounds arch.

HARPER
"Go-to-guy" is fine.

LEO
Good, 'cause you're it. Which is a lot to throw at you weeks into the job. I
want you to know you have my and the President's full support.

HARPER
I appreciate your confidence.

LEO
We'll need you to coordinate all the intelligence agencies, including the
CIA and CIA. You may have heard: they don't play nicely together.

HARPER
Well, boys will be boys.

LEO
And don't be afraid to knock heads together. We don't want petty turf wars
slowing down the intel.

HARPER
I'll keep on 'em.

LEO
You run into resistance, you let me know.

HARPER
I hope that won't be necessary.

LEO
Another thing: the President's not crazy about the DCI. It's chemical;
just rubs him the wrong way.

HARPER
Okay.

LEO
This isn't gossip; it's guidance. If the CIA's got something, the Director's
not always the most effective vessel for communicating it.

HARPER
I'll make sure to underline anything I think is significant.

LEO
We just need you to be all over this. State, Defense. You're the White House
point... person.

HARPER
I won't let you down. Oh, and on that whole language score: I was in the
military. I "manned" battleships, was "one of the boys," occasionally was
exhorted to "drop my ...," you know, and "grab my socks." I've made my peace
with the colloquial.

LEO
Okay.

HARPER
Just between us girls. Thanks, Leo.

She leaves.

CUT TO: INT. - PRESS BRIEFING ROOM - DAY

C.J. is standing at the podium and all the reporters are madly clamoring
for C.J.'s attention.

C.J.
Still just the three confirmed.

REPORTER
Was it a suicide bomber?

C.J.
It was not a suicide attack. I've already... no claims of... Hey! Is this
working for you? Now if you'll ask your questions one at a time like - oh,
I don't know - every other time we've done this the past five years maybe
you'll come away from this with something to write and maybe I'll still be
speaking to one or two of you when I climb down from here. Yes, Katie.

KATIE
Is the administration considering military action in response to today's
attack?

C.J.
The immediate focus is on gathering information on who might have been
responsible and bringing them to justice.

KATIE
Will the U.S. ask the Israelis to carry out any military retaliation?

C.J.
We're strongly urging Israel and the Palestinian Authority to refrain from
doing anything to further enflame tensions in the region. Steve.

STEVE
Will the administration now actively seek the removal of Palestinian Chairman
Farad, and on the other hand, press for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza?

C.J.
If you're asking if today's tragic events wil have an effect on U.S. policy
in the region, I think it's safe to assume that question will generate serious
and substantial discussion in the coming days, weeks and months. Gordon.

GORDON
Does the White House have a comment about today's FDA warning on safety
violations at Canadian internet pharmacies?

C.J.
What?

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S OFFICE - DAY

Josh is on the phone with Donna's parents.

JOSH
I haven't been able to get exact information on her injuries, but they
have gotten her stabilized, which sounds encouraging. I'm sorry I don't
have more, but I didn't want you and Mr. Moss to have to wait any longer to
hear something.

CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Bartlet is at his desk and he is on the phone with Congressman Korb's
widow. Charlie is standing in front of the desk.

BARTLET
Well, the thoughts and prayers of a grateful nation are with you and your
family at this time. Not at all, Mrs. Korb. Goodbye.

He hangs the phone up.

BARTLET
Charlie, when your mother was killed, you got one of these calls.

CHARLIE
Yes, sir. Her captain.

BARTLET
It make you feel any better?

CHARLIE
Not really, sir. Nothing makes you feel better. But it did make me feel proud.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - DAY

Josh walk into the lobby and Will meets him.

WILL
How's Donna?

JOSH
Potential bleeding issues.

WILL
Dire issues?

JOSH
"Significant" is the word they used, but "dire" is good.

C.J. joins them.

C.J.
How's Donna?

WILL
Some issues.

C.J.
Life-threatening?

WILL
Significant.

They meet Toby in the hall on the way toward the Oval Office.

TOBY
Hey. Donna okay?

C.J.
Some issues. I don't know what they are.

JOSH
You know what? Maybe we'll do this all at once.

LEO [OS]
Josh.

CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Will, C.J., and Toby walk into the room. Kate is waiting and Charlie is at
his desk.

CHARLIE
Any news on Donna?

TOBY
Some issues.

C.J.
Potentially significant.

WILL
With bleeding.

Josh and Leo come in.

JOSH
Anyway, there's been major blood loss.

LEO
Poor kid.

WILL
What's going to be our response?

LEO
What do you think it should be?

WILL
Regime change.

C.J.
Take out the Chairman.

WILL
He is the impediment.

TOBY
"The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity."

LEO
Abba Eban's line.

C.J.
The guy in Tel Aviv's no picnic either.

LEO
State's convinced, nothing can happen till these two guys are gone.

WILL
Israel is not the problem.

C.J.
The settlement, the wall...

CHARLIE
Israel didn't just blow Americans up.

C.J.
I'm not saying there's equivalence.

WILL
Israelis don't talk about driving the Palestinians into the sea.

HARPER
Some do.

WILL
Oh, come on.

C.J.
Ever heard the phrase "Greater Israel"?

LEO
Not from anyone serious.

HARPER
One reason some people say nothing can happen till these guys are gone is
the feeling they both may be stuck in old attitudes or assumptions. There
was a time when Palestinians and all Arabs wanted to drive Jews into the sea,
but some would argue that time's past.

WILL
Listen to some Arab broadcasts.

C.J.
Rabble-rousing to distract their street.

HARPER
I'm not sure any credible Arab leader truly expects Israel's demise anymore,
not even the Chairman.

LEO
Don't be so sure.

HARPER
Well, there's a view that...

WILL
Don't keep saying "Some argue" and "There's a view." Can we restrict it to
your view?

HARPER
Okay. Palestinians are no longer fighting to destroy the Jewish state. They're
fighting for a state of their own, a revolutionary struggle against an
occupying force, and revolutionaries will outlast and out-die occupiers
every time.

WILL
I don't know if that's more simplistic or naive.

TOBY
It's tribal. It can't be solved. It's Hatfield and McCoy and there is no end.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Donna and Colin are watching a tape of a suicide bomber.

DONNA
She's so young.

COLIN
Yeah. Suicide bombers often leave these videotapes behind.

DONNA
What's she saying?

He backs up the tape and translates for Donna.

COLIN
Um... "It was always my wish to turn my body into deadly shrapnel, to knock
on heaven's door with the skulls of Zionists. God gave me two children who
I love so..."

DONNA

COLIN

He pauses the tape.

COLIN

He gets up, comes over to the bed, and sits next to Donna.

COLIN

DONNA

COLIN

CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Josh, Leo, Toby, Will, C.J., Kate and Charlie are still talking.

WILL

C.J.

LEO

HARPER
Or we use this as an opportunity.

JOSH
We need to kill them!

LEO

JOSH

Charlie's phone rings.

CHARLIE

LEO

They all go in except for Leo and Josh, who go into the Mural Room.

JOSH

LEO

JOSH
Ramstein Landstuhl

LEO

JOSH

LEO

JOSH

He leaves the room and begins to run toward his office.

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - DAY

We see Josh burst through the door and he runs into his office. He grabs
some things as he leaves. He walks out and we focus on Donna's empty chair.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Donna is again at the computer. She looks over from where she is sitting
and we see Colin asleep on the bed.

CUT TO: EXT. - MARKETPLACE - GAZA - DAY

We see Donna walking through the marketplace. She walks over to where Colin
is standing.

DONNA
Sorry. Border tour went on forever.

COLIN
It's all right.

He snaps some pictures of her.

COLIN
You still got time?

DONNA
Uh, a few minutes.

COLIN
All right. Yossi!

YOSSI
(speaks Hebrew)

COLIN
(speaks Hebrew)

They walk over.

COLIN
(speaks Hebrew)

YOSSI
(speaks Hebrew)

COLIN
Donna Moss, with the Americans.

YOSSI
He's a wicked man, you know.

DONNA
Heartbreaker.

YOSSI
My hero, actually.

DONNA
I'm sure.

COLIN
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

DONNA
How old are you?

YOSSI
I'm 22.

DONNA
You like the army?

YOSSI
It's an Israelis most sacred duty. Nothing I will ever do is more important.

DONNA
Plus girls like the uniform.

YOSSI
The uniform? They like me.

Donna laughs.

DONNA
Colin says you have strong feelings about serving here.

YOSSI
Is no good, Gaza.

DONNA
No good, how?

YOSSI
7,500 Israeli settlers surrounded by 1.3 million Palestinians who do not
wish us here, and we in the middle.

DONNA
It's difficult.

YOSSI
Once we were sent to dismantle an illegal settlement. The settlers punch
and kick us. A woman bit my arm so hard she drew blood. My own people.

COLIN
Yossi spent some time guarding the settlement at Kfar Durom.

DONNA
I've been there. It's dangerous.

YOSSI
I lost comrades. For a soldier this is expected, but two were women. Girls,
19. Killed in their barracks.

DONNA
I'm sorry.

COLIN
Tell her what happened then. Go on, man, you can tell her.

YOSSI
After the deaths of the young girls, some in my unit... they'd call on
loudspeaker. In Arabic, aunting, calling them names, filthy names. And young
Palestinians would come out of hiding, boys with rocks... and they'd shoot
them with live bullets.

DONNA
You...?

YOSSI
I do not shoot children. Donna, I served with them. They are not evil,
but when people who are not monsters do this, it is the situation; the
circumstances are to blame.

DONNA
I have to go. Thanks for speaking with me.

YOSSI
Enjoy your visit.

COLIN
(speaks Hebrew)

They walk away.

COLIN
I'd better not come and join your friends.

DONNA
Okay. Bye.

Donna walks up to Andy. Colin stays where he is.

FITZWALLACE
You know, after 50 years, one option might be to get over it.

DONNA
It feels even hotter today. Is that possible?

ANDY
Enjoy your break?

DONNA
Wasn't what you think.

We see him take some pictures of Donna as the car drives off.

CUT TO: INT. - PLANE - NIGHT

Josh is sitting at his seat. The flight attendant can be heard making an
announcement in German. She then makes the announcement in English.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT
At this time, all electronic devices must be turned off and stowed in
preparation for our landing in Frankfurt.

FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE.
* * *

ACT FOUR

FADE IN: INT. - SITUATION ROOM - DAY

Bartlet comes into the Situation Room. Kate, Leo, and Hutchinson are already
there.

BARTLET
What's the latest?

HARPER
The FBI team lands in five hours.

BARTLET
You've spoken to Nancy?

HARPER
Dr. McNally's left Caracas. She'll hit Tel Aviv, Cairo, Amman.

LEO
Tell her to be careful.

BARTLET
What's the situation on the ground?

They sit.

HUTCHINSON
The Chairman's not letting the grass grow. Palestinian Authority police made
a night raid into the Jabaliya refugee camp.

LEO
Any chance they're the right people?

HUTCHINSON
The Israelis say no.

BARTLET
Did they want to think about it for a minute?

HUTCHINSON
They say these guys are dissidents from Fatah. The Chairman just, uh,
settling old scores.

HARPER
He did take action.

LEO
Are we awarding A's for effort now?

HARPER
Effort's what he's accused of never making.

BARTLET
What more do we know about the bombing?

HUTCHINSON
The planning, the execution, the size of the bomb, all appear too sophisticated
to be some guys just freelancing.

LEO
Hamas and Hezbollah have often used roadside bombs like this against IDF tanks.

HUTCHINSON
Maybe that's what this was intended for.

BARTLET
Because Chevy Suburbans are often confused with Israeli tanks. Military
options?

HUTCHINSON
As you noted earlier, sir, fixed targets are hard to come by. Half the time
the Israelis aren't sure what to hit.

BARTLET
So, let me sum up: we don't know who did this, or even if they meant to. We
don't know how we'd hit them if we ever did find out who it was. We don't
know who these guys were that the Chairman arrested or why. Is there anything,
anything at all, that we do know?

HUTCHINSON
We know that at the blast site, groups of Palestinians stoned Western
reporters shouting "God is Great."

CUT TO: INT. EXT. - HOSPITAL - GERMANY - NIGHT

We see Josh run up the stairs of the hospital and into the lobby.

CUT TO: INT. - HOSPITAL LOBBY - GERMANY - NIGHT

Josh runs up to the desk and speaks to the clerk.

JOSH
Hi, I'm Josh Lyman from the White House. I'm looking for Donnatella Moss's
room.

We see Josh walk to the elevator and get in. He pushes a button and the
door shuts.

CUT TO: INT. - DONNA'S FLOOR - NIGHT

Josh is waiting to see Donna's doctor, COL. LEAHY.

COL. LEAHY
Mr. Lyman?

JOSH
Yeah.

LEAHY
I'm Colonel Leahy. I operated on Ms. Moss.

JOSH
For what, exactly?  I'm a little behind the curve.

LEAHY
She came in with a multiple compound fracture of the femur and a pneumothorax.

JOSH
Sorry, I...

LEAHY
Uh, collapsed lung, broken thighbone.

JOSH
Collapsed lung? That's no biggie, right?

LEAHY
We suctioned the air from the pleural cavity by chest tube.

JOSH
Really, 'cause that sounds a little...

LEAHY
No biggie. The lung should re-expand within 48 to 72 hours.

JOSH
And a broken leg?

LEAHY
A compound fracture is one that protrudes through the skin.

JOSH
Uh-huh.

LEAHY
And this was a multiple, so that means...

JOSH
Yeah, I got it, I got it.

LEAHY
Are you all right?

JOSH
I get a little queasy. Plus, the... you know, jet lag.

LEAHY
In any event, the main fracture repairs went well. We inserted a metal rod
through the bone.

JOSH
Okay.

Josh bends down in nausea.

LEAHY
You wanna sit?

JOSH
I'm fine.

LEAHY
At the moment I'm more worried about you.

JOSH
I'm good. I'm good.

LEAHY
Well, we'll want to perform some Doppler studies, ensure no clots have
formed. Recovery from the pneumothorax may take several weeks. The fracture,
months of physical therapy.

JOSH
Great. I mean, not great, but considering.

LEAHY
You can see her. Uh, if you'd like.

He grabs his bag and follows the doctor down the hall.

CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT

Bartlet is sitting in one of the chairs. Charlie comes to the door and shows
Kate in.

CHARLIE
Sir? Kate Harper.

HARPER
Mr. President.

BARTLET
I want to thank you for your work today. Hell of an orientation.

HARPER
No thanks necessary, sir.

BARTLET
I understand you knew Admiral Fitzwallace. Today notwithstanding, reliable
intelligence does occasionally come my way.

HARPER
The Admiral was one of my mentors after Annapolis. I had a mild tendency
toward insubordination.

BARTLET
Which he helped you correct?

HARPER
Which he enjoyed when not directed at him.

BARTLET
I have a similar taste.

HARPER
I'll bear that in mind.

BARTLET
Sir.

HARPER
Sorry?

BARTLET
I'll bear that in mind, sir.

HARPER
Oh, no, I...

BARTLET
I'm just jerking your chain. Charlie?

CHARLIE
Yes, Mr. President.

BARTLET
Secret Service have the car?

CHARLIE
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
Thank you. [to Kate] Walk with me.

They leave the office.

CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY - WHITE HOUSE - NIGHT

Bartlet and Kate are walking through the hall toward the front door.

BARTLET
The Mideast reminds me of that joke about the optimist and the pessimist. The
pessimist says "Everything is terrible. It can't get any worse." The optimist
says "Oh, yes it can."

HARPER
It can get easy to forget that there's a silence majority on both sides who
just want to live their lives.

BARTLET
Unfortunately, you spend all your time focusing on what's drowning them out:
the invective and bomb blasts.

HARPER
Isn't it our ultimate moral responsibility to them?

BARTLET
It's quicksand. An ego trip.

HARPER
Sir?

BARTLET
Chasing that Nobel Peace Prize right down the same sinkhole.

HARPER
After 50 years of strife and futility, there's no dishonor in failure. The
only dishonor might be not to try.

BARTLET
Come take a ride.

He gets into the limo and Kate gets in behind him.

CUT TO: INT. - DONNA'S HOSPITAL ROOM -NIGHT

The doctor shows Josh in and he comes over to Donna's bedside and looks down
at her.

CUT TO: EXT. - STREET - NIGHT

We see the Presidential motorcade driving down the road. It pulls up in
front of the home of Admiral Fitzwallace's widow, GAIL. Bartlet and Kate
get out and go up to the door. Bartlet rings the doorbell. Gail answers the
door. She looks as though she has definitely been crying.

BARTLET
Gail.

GAIL FITZWALLACE
Mr. President. Please come in.

Bartlet indicates for Kate to go in front of him and then he follows her in.

CUT TO: INT. - SITTING ROOM - FITZWALLACE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Bartlet and Kate are talking with Gail.

BARTLET
I wish I could express the depth of my sorrow for your loss.

HARPER
I'm so sorry, Mrs. Fitzwallace.

GAIL
A sailor's wife doesn't live with fear the way a soldier's does. An Admiral's
wife that much less. You don't spend a career preparing for this. It seemed
like a blessing, until today.

BARTLET
The people responsible will be found and brought to justice.

GAIL
Don't promise that. I know the world.

CUT TO: INT. - LEO'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Leo and C.J. are in Leo's office and they are talking.

LEO
What else?

C.J.
The funerals.

LEO
I know.

C.J.
The FBI's gonna need some time with the remains.

LEO
Yeah. You should go home.

C.J.
Me?

Leo's phone rings. He goes to his desk and answers it.

LEO
Yeah. ... Okay. Thanks.

He hangs the phone up.

LEO
Israeli gunships just fired missiles into an apartment house in Gaza City. They
were targeting a Hamas leader. 12 killed, including 4 children. No word
whether the Hamas leader is among the dead.

C.J. nods and leaves the room.

CUT TO: INT. - DONNA'S ROOM - NIGHT

We see a nurse walk into Donna's room. Josh is sitting by her bed and he is
looking worried about her.

DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END.
* * *

The West Wing episode 5.21 "Gaza", original air date 12 May, 2004.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.