Women-Related Signs
Moving forward to the eighth scene, a woman is reading a letter to her brother and writing another to her husband. This is an indication that the women in this society are literate and know how to read and write. This is further demonstrated in scene twelve where a woman serves as a school principal. However, even with this elevation, Palestinian women are still used as the custodians of cultures that entrench patriarchy in society.
This is depicted in the seventeenth scene when the lady principal swiftly moves in to obscure the scene where a lady was being kissed by a man from the eyes of her students. She believes that the act of kissing is an ugly scene, which will destroy the moral fabric of her students (Zaher-Mazawi, 2019). In scene 21, a protest is ongoing across the streets. It is a woman-only affair and fire has been lit to accompany the protestors. This is a portrayal that women are actively getting involved in the politics of the country. This is in contrast with the past when women were only confined to the kitchen.
Political Events-Related Signs
The first scene is set at the airport and captures an Israeli taxi driver ferrying an elderly man known as Elijah to his Nazareth home. There are two conspicuous posters that are written Eretz, to mean ‘Another Land.’ The posters are also contained pictures of oranges, which Israel is synonymous with. There is nothing in the poster that signifies Palestine and its people or geographical features. This is an indication that Israel is reinforcing its claim that the Palestine land belongs to it, and not the Palestinians. As they drive along, heavy rains, accompanied by thunder begin to fall. The storm that ensues makes driving untenable, and as a result, the driver gets lost and disappears from view (Estefan, 2020). However, he soon locates his bearing, thanks to the familiar features like the cooperative farms. It is ironic that a Zionist taxi driver understands the landscape of the Palestine land. This shows how entrenched and deep-rooted is the Israeli occupation.
The third scene is cast in front of a coffee shop and features an Iraqi soldier carrying a weapon. His presence there draws the attention of some youth who debate who wonder if he belongs to the Salvation Army. They do not know whether he is lost and indeed of assistance. It is ironical that the youth will not consider his presence there as instrumental to their struggle against the Israeli occupation. This shows that the Arab countries have not been of much help to the Palestinians. Their presence there does not ignite any hope and a promise of a better tomorrow.
In the next scene, a surrender document is being signed between the Palestinians and Israel. This is a flashback to 1948 and is set in the Nazareth municipality (Yaqub, 2018). Present to sign the document are two clerics, a Muslim and a Christian (Suleiman, The Time That Remains, 2009). The occasion is to be presided over by the mayor, who is so apprehensive about the security situation. Subsequently, he arrives at the scene with heavy security details comprising Israeli soldiers. Paradoxically, he is waving a white flag to signify surrender. The signing of the document gives Palestinians a false illusion of victory.
The sixth scene is staged inside a car and involves soldiers distributing weapons amongst themselves. However, it cannot escape the viewers the kind of division that exists among Palestinian soldiers. While some soldiers are willing to give up their weapons, others are opposed to the idea. One opts to commit suicide rather than to give up his arms. The next scene showcases a home that had been abandoned because of the war. The abandoned homes signify the seriously broken families in Palestine. Several years of hostilities have left many homes deserted and families disparaged (Dickinson, 2018). The next scene is where Israeli soldiers gain entry into the deserted houses and steal valuables from them. Coincidentally, as they rob the house, music is playing in the background stimulating the act of theft. The producer of the movie signifies that the theft of the house valuables represents the grabbing of Palestine’s land by the Israelis.
The next scene is horrific where brutal force is unleashed by the Israeli army against the helpless Palestinians. An incarcerated Palestinian is violently interrogated and tortured before being thrown in a valley. This is what Palestinians are forced to be content with every day. In the next scene, a kitchen is shown bearing the writings of Jordan’s rules on the wall. This is a testament to the influential role that Jordan has over Palestine. It must be noted that thousands of Palestinian refugees are held in camps in Jordan. The hopelessness of Palestinian citizens is further manifested when a man decides to set himself on fire. The victim is tired of the political situation of his country and feels that he cannot take it anymore.
The thirteenth scene is a very dramatic abuse of the Palestinian heritage. Set inside a school in Israel, Palestinian children, who form the minority are seen seeing the Israeli national anthem in Hebrew. Some Palestinian girls are also taking part in a song competition and the choir that emerges in the first position is rewarded by the Israeli. Interestingly, the song carries the message of the colonization of Palestine and uprooting of its people from their land. It is absurd that Palestinian children are used to defiling their heritage (Hout, 2017). It is a self-defeatist attempt aimed at portraying the Hebrew language as more superior to the Arab language. It is the same case where the of Nazareth handed over the municipality to the Israeli. The hatred for Palestine by the Israelis is systematic and being inculcated in children from a young school-going age.
In the next scene, viewers are treated to a dramatic scene where a student is punched by a teacher. The Israeli educational system is designed in such a way that Palestinian students are supposed to be indoctrinated with Israeli nationalism ideals. Teachers who are submissive enough to instill these ideals on learners are the ones who are most preferred. Those who do not oblige are prone to face dire consequences including beatings. This explains why schools are decorated with Israeli flags and students appear so petrified.
References
Dickinson, K. (2018). Arab Film and Video Manifestos. Palgrave Pivot.
Estefan, K. (2020). Review: Palestinian cinema in the days of revolution, by Nadia Yaqub. Journal of Palestine Studies, 49(4), 138–140.
Hout, S. (2017). Roy Armes, new voices in Arab cinema. Journal of Contemporary History.
Suleiman, E. (2009). The Time That Remains [Film]. Dhat Productions.
Yaqub, N. (2018). Palestinian Cinema in the Days of Revolution. University of Texas Press.
Zaher-Mazawi, S. (2019). Nadia Yaqub. Palestinian cinema in the days of revolution [book review]. University of Malta.