We are introduced to the Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and Jerusalem which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. It provides some historical background of the area before introducing us to the city of Ramallah. One of the earlier scenes of this clip includes a shot of Christmas lights. We then meet the Mayor of Ramallah, Musa Hadid as he heads to Ramallah City Hall. We get our first glimpse of government conversations as they discuss city branding. In addition, towards the end, there's a montage of scenes that clearly indicate it’s time for Christmas. The vintage old hollywood music in the background to many Americans serves as a stark contrast to the arabic language written on various buildings and many women walking about in khimar, the headscarf worn by Muslim women.
Clip 2: Christmas and Resistance in Ramallah
There are Santas climbing down the sides of buildings at a holiday ceremony. We also see a traditional Palestinian dance called Dabke happening to the beat of techno Christmas music. There is a big Christmas tree that is then lit followed by lots of fireworks. In the speech that follows, the mayor tells the crowd to “make space for joy”. We also learn about Trump's decision to back Israel’s move to make Jerusalem its capital from a priest that is sitting with him. The priest also tells Mayor Musa that the Jerusalem decision will be announced at 6pm. On the radio we hear that Trump moving the US embassy to Jerusalem is a flagrant violation of international law and treaties. We later see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas give a speech about Trump’s plan. Palestinians gather to protest this decision and we hear them reciting protest chants.
Clip 3: Celine Dion, A Fountain, and Protest
Mayor Musa is seen taking in the choreographed colored fountain as Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” plays. We later see IDF troops going into businesses and homes demanding to see camera footage. Protestors are then seen running after hearing loud bangs, presumably some sort of weapon being shot by Israeli soldiers.
Clip 4: Teargas and Retreat
It appears that Israeli soldiers may have arrested a mute person that can’t understand what’s going on. The press is seen taking pictures and filming what Israeli soldiers are doing. As the crowd approaches they begin to shoot tear gas. Members of the press seek shelter inside City Hall and find it hard to breathe. Medics are brought in to provide treatment. Palestinians defend their city using mainly rocks and force Israeli soldiers to flee.
Clip 5: Fountain of Joy
Despite the protests and damage done to the area in front of City Hall, the fountain show goes on as planned. The crowd of Palestinians look on as the fountain moves through its choreography set to opera music. This final shot highlights the resilience of the Palestinian people and harkens back to the lighting of the Christmas tree celebration when the speaker at the end told the crowd to make space for joy.
Sources
Authored by:
Keziah Ridgeway
Keziah Ridgeway is a Philadelphia area educator, activist, wife, and mother. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Temple University and a Master's of Education from Saint Joseph's University. Currently, she teaches African American History as well as Social & Cultural Anthropology at Northeast High and was a 2020 recipient of the prestigious Lindback Teacher Award in Philadelphia, PA.
