History

We have all heard the old adage, ‘to the victor go the spoils.’  One of the spoils of victory has always been the privilege of rewriting history—of obliterating facts—to show the victor as just, humane, and worthy.  Another old adage is that, ‘there are always two sides to every story.’  The side of the oppressed, the exploited, the colonized and conquered was, until recently, seldom publicly told.

Modern technology has begun to democratize media.  Mainstream media still embraces the idea that the victor gets to spoil the facts and rewrite history.  However, the more we continue to reject mainstream media and seek out citizen and alternative journalism, the more our view of the world expands.
 

Image from Celebrate Palestine Films.

‘The Land Speaks Arabic’ is a film that takes us beyond the views that the victor, that the oppressor, wants us to see.  To begin to understand the true story of the Holy Land, we need to take in the entire view, not just what the mainstream media asserts in their support of oppression.

This film tells the story of European-Jewish colonization and settlement of Palestine and its effects on Palestinians, beginning in 1891.  Archival material, including film footage, photographs, and documents carry much of the story.  Interviews with those who lived through the great Palestinian catastrophe known as the Nakba are included, as are quotes from leaders and politicians of the day.

 "Palestine proper has already its inhabitants. The pashalik of Jerusalem is already twice as thickly populated as the United States, having 52 souls to the square mile, and not 25% of them Jews."

Israel Zangwill, 1905

Acts of Jewish terrorism and ethnic cleansing perpetrated against the Indigenous population are recounted and illustrated. The film ends with the people who now live in exile, sharing their visions of the homes they lost and the pain in their hearts.

Narration is provided by Nur Masalha, who also did much of the research for the film.  He is a Palestinian historian and Professor of Religion and Politics.  He is as well, the Director of both the Centre for Religion and History, and the Holy Land Research Project at St Mary's University College; as well as an acclaimed author whose books include 'The Politics of Denial: Israel and the Palestinian Refugee Problem.'

'The Land Speaks Arabic,’ a film by Maryse Gargour--available on request from public libraries and from where ever you ordinarily rent DVDs.  It can also be watched on YouTube. 

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If the Israeli atrocities against Palestinian people had stopped, perhaps we could forget about this history.  Unfortunately, as noted by Nur Masalha in the film, the Zionist program against the Palestinian people continues today.  You can read about some of the current manifestations on this thread:  http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/why%20we%20boycott

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For more information on the historical roots of the conflicts in the Holy Land please see:
http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/search/label/historical%20roots

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Check out our other recommended DVDs here:
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