Film romanticizing the deadly 1936 Arab Revolt about to be screened ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Film romanticizing the deadly 1936 Arab Revolt about to be screened

Palestine has selected Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36 as its official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards in the best international feature category.

The historical drama is set in 1936 during the Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule. The film follows Yusuf, a young villager caught between his rural home and the political upheaval in Jerusalem, as tensions rise amid growing unrest, British crackdowns, and the influx of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe. Palestine 36 will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival with a gala screening during the opening weekend on September 5.

Palestinian Arabs have been trying to turn the 1936-9 Arab Revolt into a romantic "intifada" against "colonialism" for years. Now they have a powerful way to rewrite history.

The event that triggered the revolt was the murders of two Jews in Tulkarem in April 1936. The murders were done by followers of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, the Islamist terrorist who had been killed the previous year by the British after his gangs killed a Jewish policeman.

The gang stopped about 20 cars on the road with the intent to steal their money to fund further attacks, identified three Jews, took them out of their cars and shot them, killing two.

One of the other drivers in the convoy was left unharmed when he shouted "I am a Christian German," and was told to "Go ahead for Hitler's sake."

Hamas has adopted Qassam as their hero, naming their army and rockets after him.

The gangs didn't only want to revolt against the British. They wanted to kill Jews. And they did. During the revolt, which was soon led by the antisemitic Mufti of Jerusalem, hundreds of Jews were murdered.

Here is a cartoon from Filastin that June showing the Jews as a crocodile about to devour them.

Antisemitism was an animating driver behind the revolt. Any film that downplays or ignores that is simply revisionist history meant to whitewash the hate.

(h/t YMedad)