West Bank's Rigged Classroom

"Alam," directed by Firas Khoury, focuses on Tamer, a disaffected Palestinian teenager living in Israel. Initially more interested in girls and partying, Tamer and his friends are drawn into political activism by the arrival of Maysaa, a politically engaged classmate. Maysaa encourages Tamer and his friends to participate in a clandestine operation to replace the Israeli flag with a Palestinian flag on Israeli Independence Day, a day mourned by Palestinians as the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” marking their displacement in 1948. This act of defiance is intended to reclaim their identity and challenge the imposed narrative. As Tamer becomes increasingly involved in the flag operation, he grapples with the personal risks and potential consequences. He becomes more committed to the Palestinian cause and starts to resist the everyday oppressions they face. The film highlights the systemic discrimination and repression Palestinians endure, with the Israeli military and authorities constantly present and intrusive. Tamer's growing political awareness forces him to confront his own complacency and consider the future of his community under occupation. The narrative explores themes of identity, resistance, and the struggle for self-determination within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/04/13/oand-a13.html