Palestinian artist Muhammad Bakri, son of the village of Al-Ba'nah in the Galilee, intends to appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court against the decision of the Central Court in Lod to ban the screening of the film "Jenin Jenin" in Israel, delete its links on social networks and channels and "YouTube" and confiscate all copies of it that document the events of the Jenin camp massacre. It was carried out by the occupying army during the military operation "Defensive Wall" in April 2002.

The Lod Court fined Bakri - who directed the film - $ 70,000 for the plaintiffs, which includes the fine, court fees and attorney fees.

Accordingly, the cultural, political, partisan and social activities inside the Palestinian territories called for the launch of a moral and material support campaign for Bakri, stressing that judging him "is a judgment against the Palestinian people in all their whereabouts."

"Jenin, Jenin" turned into a public opinion issue in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories in 1967, and Bakri and the film were subjected to legal prosecution and banned from showing for 19 years, which enshrined a case of silencing the mouths and freedoms and fighting Palestinian art, culture and creativity after the first screening of the cinematheque in Jerusalem and Tal Aviv, months after he was released in 2003.

The smell of death

In a race against time, Bakri and the camera crew quickly skipped the "Defensive Wall" operation and entered the Jenin camp 3 weeks after the massacre, as the stench of death still lingers in the place, and the remains and rubble of dozens of homes narrated in the series of displacement and displacement of dozens of families that could not leave Place.

The cameras of the director and his crew captured the truth about what happened in the camp and the seasons of what its residents lived, in case the narratives and testimonies were framed with the ghoul of demolition and destruction, to document the truth about what happened in the camp from the mouths of the survivors and the families of the victims.

"Jenin Jenin" documents the people's struggle for freedom and independence, and embodies the role of art and culture in steadfastness and resistance to the occupier, amid scenes of crimes and violations of the occupation that sought to quell the second intifada, in events that gathered scenes of blood and rubble of the destruction of the Jenin camp massacre in which 50 citizens were killed, and the clashes that killed During which 23 soldiers of the occupation army were shot dead by the armed factions that called for an existential epic in Jenin.

Prosecution

In the battle of the artistic, cultural and civilizational presence of the people, Bakri narrated to Al-Jazeera Net the prosecution he is subjected to and the series of lawsuits for officers and soldiers from the occupation army to prevent the show of "Jenin Jenin", which began days after its first show, and is still continuing until now in a battle over truth and the Palestinian narrative. Describing the court’s recent decision as unfair against him and the right of art, culture and the Palestinian people, stressing that "the judicial ruling was taken for purely political motives."

The director confirmed that he is studying - in coordination with lawyer Hussein Abu Hussein - future steps by submitting an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court against the decision to ban the screening of the film and prevent its circulation and delete it from television channels via the Internet, indicating that for 19 years he has been engaged in the struggle to keep "Jenin, Jenin" in the limelight. Complaints and lawsuits continued to be repeated by elements of the Israeli right.

The Palestinian artist recalled the first leg of defending his film months after it was shown and seen in the light, as the Israeli Central Court accepted the lawsuit of several reserve officers and soldiers in the occupation army, and responded to the request of the military censorship to prevent the showing of "Jenin Jenin" in the galleries and cinemas in the country, a decision that was made. It was revoked by the Israeli Supreme Court in November 2003.

Director Bakri documented violations by the occupation army in Jenin camp, 3 weeks after the "Defensive Wall" massacre (Al-Jazeera)

Block the show

However, the director says, "The lawsuits have been repeated and the Israeli appeals have been renewed since then by some officers and soldiers, in dividing roles to prevent the film from being shown and to prosecute me by compelling me to pay fines, and the last case was filed in 2017, and after a series of deliberations, the same judicial ruling banning the show and imposing fines, but The most dangerous thing is to delete the film from the channels and the sources of its copies, which is a ruling that we reject and will continue the struggle until it is revoked. "

He stressed that he will continue the struggle until he triumphs for the Palestinian truth and narrative, and the movie "Jenin Jenin", which summarizes the struggle and steadfastness of the people, sheds light on the practices and violations of the occupation and the successive Israeli governments that fear the truth, exposing their racist and discriminatory approach against the Palestinian people, in addition to silencing and silencing the freedom of expression.

He emphasized that there is no essence and meaning for art, culture and creativity in the event that the white flag that reflects weakness and loss is raised, indicating that he will continue to spread the red flag that expresses the right of every artist and every Palestinian to raise his voice loudly against occupation, oppression and injustice, stressing that he will continue the struggle until it is achieved His people have full rights and enjoy freedom and independence.

Cultural Being

The General Union of Palestinian Writers - Carmel 48 described the court’s decision issued against Bakri by ruling "Qaraqouchi" on the life being of the Palestinian people and their artistic and cultural creativity, stressing that it is tantamount to proving that the Israeli establishment with all its arms is the enemy of every Arab in his life and cultural creativity.

He explained in a statement - Al Jazeera Net received a copy of it - that this ruling comes against the background of a lawsuit filed by a reserve officer in the occupation army against Bakri and "Jenin Jenin", claiming that it appears in the film in an offensive manner, so that from the point of view of the Israeli judiciary it becomes an offense and a crime, and not The basis of his presence there is crime.

In the statement, the General Union stressed that "the crime is in the occupation and its army and the behavior of this army, in everything that is practiced in general and what was practiced in the second intifada in Jenin and its camp and other Palestinian areas, and the crime is not documenting this barbaric behavior."

"Jenin, Jenin" documents the Palestinian people's struggle and scenes of violations by the occupation forces (communication sites)

Gagging

In turn, the National Democratic Assembly issued a statement condemning the decision of the Israeli court and considering it a political revenge that falls under the pursuit of every Palestinian artistic or cultural product that exposes the crimes of the occupation, and contributes to raising collective awareness and national sentiment, especially the stations of the Palestinian people's struggle.

The MP for the assembly emphasized the immaturity of Shehadeh, the fragility and weakness of "this Israeli colonial system, which pursues national political activity and targets pens and mouths biased towards the cause of its people in all circles, whether partisan, parliamentary, artistic or cultural," describing it as "losing credibility in front of the Palestinian narrative that shows the suffering and pain of the Palestinian people." Over the years of occupation. "

He considered that preventing the Israeli court from showing the film and fining the director as a testimony to him that it is an important and appreciated artistic work, and that the children of the Palestinian people must stick to it in order to remain in the people's awareness and historical memory, calling for the Palestinian artist to support and stand by him in his just cause before the Israeli establishment and its judicial system.

The same position was expressed by the representative of the Democratic Front, Aida Touma-Suleiman, confirming that the court's decision to ban the film "Jenin Jenin" is nothing but an additional link in the chain of gagging policy.

She explained that the occupation is terrified of revealing its true face, and this time it is fighting its ugly reality under the auspices of the courts and judges, noting that the director suffered a lot from the attack launched on him by the occupation soldiers for many years, and said, "We will remain beside Bakri and beside our people who are under the oppression of the occupation." .