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| A difficult yet rewarding read |
The nameless protagonist, apparently based on Kashua's own youth, walks the tightrope between Israeli and Arab identities and the result is a heart rendingly honest picture of the conflict that lies within the hearts and minds of Israeli Arabs as they endeavour to make their way in the society in which they live. Neither side is shown in a particularly positive light: the Arabs are somewhat backward in their traditions and the Jews either racist or hypocritical. Nonetheless, I found it a valuable insight into an element of Israeli society that I admit I know little about and I intend to pursue this topic further.
To this end I have managed to persuade Mark to come with me to see Kashua's 'Arab Labour' which is being screened in London as part of the UK Jewish Film Festival. We also (finally!) got a copy of Ajami with English subtitles so I'm looking forward to seeing that at last - although I've been warned it's a heavy one.
