By Einat Weitzman and Issa Amru
The U.N. calls him a protector of human rights, but in Israel, they call him a terrorist. Issa Amru was born and raised in Hebron. He can’t keep count of the times when the Israeli military harassed and arrested him for his activities for human rights.
In 2016, he was arrested and an indictment was filed against him for eighteen charges over six years of incitement, of demonstrations against military violence and settlers in Hebron, and insulting a soldier by resisting arrest. In 2021, he was convicted of six of these charges.
Einat Weitzman’s new documentary play, is based on the narrative of the trial of Issa in the Ofer courthouse where the conviction rate is 99.7% and the judges and prosecutors are all on the side of the occupying state. The sentence was known even before the defendant’s trial started and the accused knew how the trial ended before the warden even called his name.
Given that the occupation isn’t the only issue Issa has to confront, the story of Issa reveals all the elements and pressures exerted on those who try to fight for justice and freedom. Issa is persecuted by the Palestinian Authority and its contractors that execute the occupation’s orders. The play presents the multiple faces of reality, while the play-write shares, on stage, the challenges that she is forced to deal with from the time she starts working with Issa. She recounts how she was under heavy pressure even on the part of civil society activists and organizations that support the fight but look to dictate their terms.
In this harsh reality, while Issa resists the occupation in which he lives, Einat realizes that even representing this reality is almost impossible.
The show is in English, Arabic and Hebrew, with subtitles
Show length: 75 min
Written by: Einat Weitzman, Issa Amru
Director: Einat Weitzman
Cast: Tamer Nafar, Rami Salman, Nina Kotler, Shahir Shechade;
Set Design: Salim Shechade, Video Design: Olga Goltzer;
Sound Design: Elias Gerjuzi; Light Design: Roee Dvir
English Translation: Ofer Neeman; Arabic Translation: Darin Tatur;
Stage Manager: Mai Shechade
Animation: Emmy Sefrad
Photo: Louise Green
Poster design: Olga Gulzer
Trailer Photography: Louise Green
Trailer Editing: Nitzan Cohen
Thanks to: Eyal Weitzman, Gur Mintzer, Shira Dunsky, Muhammed Babai, Studio Yaffa, Gabi Lalski, Nitzan Cohen
By Einat Weitzman and Issa Amru
The U.N. calls him a protector of human rights, but in Israel, they call him a terrorist. Issa Amru was born and raised in Hebron. He can’t keep count of the times when the Israeli military harassed and arrested him for his activities for human rights.
In 2016, he was arrested and an indictment was filed against him for eighteen charges over six years of incitement, of demonstrations against military violence and settlers in Hebron, and insulting a soldier by resisting arrest. In 2021, he was convicted of six of these charges.
Einat Weitzman’s new documentary play, is based on the narrative of the trial of Issa in the Ofer courthouse where the conviction rate is 99.7% and the judges and prosecutors are all on the side of the occupying state. The sentence was known even before the defendant’s trial started and the accused knew how the trial ended before the warden even called his name.
Given that the occupation isn’t the only issue Issa has to confront, the story of Issa reveals all the elements and pressures exerted on those who try to fight for justice and freedom. Issa is persecuted by the Palestinian Authority and its contractors that execute the occupation’s orders. The play presents the multiple faces of reality, while the play-write shares, on stage, the challenges that she is forced to deal with from the time she starts working with Issa. She recounts how she was under heavy pressure even on the part of civil society activists and organizations that support the fight but look to dictate their terms.
In this harsh reality, while Issa resists the occupation in which he lives, Einat realizes that even representing this reality is almost impossible.
The show is in English, Arabic and Hebrew, with subtitles
Show length: 75 min
Written by: Einat Weitzman, Issa Amru
Director: Einat Weitzman
Cast: Tamer Nafar, Rami Salman, Nina Kotler, Shahir Shechade;
Set Design: Salim Shechade, Video Design: Olga Goltzer;
Sound Design: Elias Gerjuzi; Light Design: Roee Dvir
English Translation: Ofer Neeman; Arabic Translation: Darin Tatur;
Stage Manager: Mai Shechade
Animation: Emmy Sefrad
Photo: Louise Green
Poster design: Olga Gulzer
Trailer Photography: Louise Green
Trailer Editing: Nitzan Cohen
Thanks to: Eyal Weitzman, Gur Mintzer, Shira Dunsky, Muhammed Babai, Studio Yaffa, Gabi Lalski, Nitzan Cohen
