Lemon Tree

Movie: Lemon Tree

Image taken from http://www.theaceblackblog.com/2011/05/movie-review-lemon-tree-2008.html

The movie Lemon Tree reflects the conflict between Israel and the Israeli occupied territories (Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and the West Bank). The movie is based in the life of Salma Zidane, a Palestinian woman who lives in the Israel- West Bank border. She owns a lemon grove, which her family has been in charge of for 50 years. She is a widow and her sons have grown and left home, she feels lonely. The conflict starts when the Defense Minister of Israel moves to a beautiful house located in the border with the West Bank, just besides the defense wall and Salma's lemon grove. The lemon grove appears to be dangerous for the Minister's life so Salma is reached and told that she must give up her grove for the Minister's security. Lemon Tree reflects the conflict between these territories because it shows the importance and power Israel has over the Palestinian people. Salma Zidane had worked the grove for many years and the Israeli government was taking it from her. By taking her grove, they were taking Salma's life, her memories, her good moments, her family, her dignity and her hope. It is important to say that Salma fought for her grove, and even though she was a woman she was able to regain part of her lemons. In the middle east society women are not treated equally and the fact that one woman by herself without any support was able to win a case against such a powerfull country such as Israel. It is shown that for this conflict it is more powerfull the wellbeing of Israel than the onw of the Palestinians. Salma had worked those lands for 50 years and an Israeli went in one day and took her land away. Palestinians should be trated the same way Israeli's are. It is unffair to give more power to a culture that has been less years in those lands than to the ones who have been there for a lifetime.