Lemon Tree (2008)

In the heart of the West Bank's occupied territory, Salma Zidane, a widow fluent in Arabic, clings to a simple life, tending to her ancestral lemon grove, which serves as her only source of income. Her world is tipped off balance when Israel's newly appointed Defense Minister, Israel Navon, takes up residence next door, enveloping the area with an intimidating presence of secret service personnel, security fences, soldiers, and a watch tower. The peaceful hum of nature in Salma's lemon grove becomes a cacophony of harsh whispers about security threats. When Salma receives a chilling letter in Hebrew, she learns her cherished lemon trees have been marked for destruction as they pose a perceived security threat. She is promised compensation, but the loss is greater than money can measure. With the help of Ziad Daud, a lawyer who carries the weight of Russia in his past, Salma files an appeal in the Military Court. They dismiss the complaint with a cold indifference, adding insult to injury by ordering the grove to be fenced-in. Undeterred, Salma and Ziad take their fight to the Supreme Court, while the soldiers prohibit Salma from even watering her dying trees. She watches helplessly as her neighbor callously steals her lemons, and an explosion at his house-warming party only heightens the tension. Through it all, Salma garners the sympathetic gaze of the defense minister's wife and an Israeli journalist. Salma's struggle is more than just about preserving her grove; it's a fight against a system that allows the confiscation of Palestinian-owned properties under the guise of security. Ziad argues that the destruction of the grove violates international law and the Geneva Convention, but in a land where borders blur and curfews are frequent, will the voice of one woman rise above the clamor of political discord? In this compelling allegory, the humble lemon trees become a symbol of resistance, and the question hangs heavy in the air: can the lone figure of Salma, a modern-day David, stand a chance against the towering Goliath of the establishment?

Lemon Tree is a drama movie featuring Hiam Abbass.

It is possible to buy Lemon Tree on Amazon Video.