Lemon Tree

I found this film to be very emotional. Maybe because I have family living in Israel I saw it from a personal perspective. I was surprised that it was an Israeli made film and it surely will cause some embarrassment to Israel.

Salma Zidane lives in her 50 year old lemon grove. Her house is modest and she works with an older Arab to keep the grove going. It has been in her family for years and she has an emotional attachment to the grove. The problem is that she is on the Palestinian side of the green line at the Gaza border.

The Defense Minister of Israel builds a modern magnificent house on the other side of the barbed wire fence. His security men worry about his safety and want the lemon grove demolished. They are afraid it will provide access for terrorists. There is no attempt to understand Salma’s predicament. There is no discussion or meeting. She is promised some retribution but her Arab neighbors forbid her from accepting money from Israel. The beautiful wife of the Defense Minister shows some empathy and wishes she could be a better neighbor but is thwarted from any attempt at meeting with her neighbor by the secret police.

The relationship of the Defense Minister and his beautiful wife provides an interesting sub plot. She is so lovely and he doesn’t give her enough attention.

Salma decides to fight the order. This is a David and Goliath story. She virtually takes on the Israeli government. Media builds up the issue to high drama.

I did find that her young lawyer provided the one unbelievable part of the plot. He is much younger than Salma. They seem to be attracted to one another. They do kiss a few times but it doesn’t develop into an affair. She is warned by the local men of authority that she must not shame the memory of her dead husband. In my opinion this part of the plot ruins the rest of the story and is distracting. I can’t imagine the young lawyer kissing the older Arab woman. She dresses in traditional garb and always has her head covered. This distraction would have been better left out.

The court case becomes very dramatic as the young lawyer pleads her case. It seems as if the safety of the Defense Minister and his beautiful house are more important than human rights.

The Defense Minister throws a large party when his new home is completed. The fashionably dressed people at the party, the excess of food and liquor and the loud music provides a contrast to Salma trying to relax in her quiet little run down house on the other side of the barbed wire fence.

At one point a large sturdy high wall is built to separate the properties. That wall makes quite an impact on the viewer.

Both sides of the argument were presented and it did leave me with an understanding of the tense situation of living on a border. I did find myself cheering on Salma who you know is fighting a losing battle.

The ending can be interpreted in several ways. You will want to discuss the film after viewing it.