Miral

---

My name is Miral Shahin.

I was born in 1973.

But my story really begins in 1947...

...with Hind Husseini.

Hind, this is my nephew, Eddie.

Hi, nice to meet you.

You speak Arabic.

Not really.

Basically, I can only say

"How do you do?" in two ways.

- Can I prepare a plate for you?

- Yes, please.

OK.

- Is that fried?

- Thanks, that's good.

I am so very pleased to welcome you all

to the American Colony Hotel.

And thank you, Governor Khatib,

and my Palestinian friends,

and my American-Jewish friends,

and my nephew, Eddie.

Thank you for being here with me

on this very special occasion.

And, my special thanks

to the Husseini family

for bringing, like, every year

this magnificent tree!

And what is so special

about this tree, is that every year

we put it back into the ground.

This place has always

been an oasis for everybody.

And I know it is very hard

not to talk about politics

at this delicate time

for our country and for all of us,

but at least for tonight,

let's put all the problems outside

and enjoy each other's company.

Merry Christmas!

...we the members

of the People's Council,

representing the Jews of Israel

and the Zionist movement,

are here assembled on the day

of the end of the British mandate.

By virtue

of our natural and historic right,

and based

on the United Nations resolution,

we do hereby declare

the establishment of a Jewish state

in the land of Israel

to be known as the state of Israel.

Mama! Mama! Mama!

Mama!

Mama.

Who are you? Why are you here?

We were attacked last night.

Bombs, fire.

My mother pushed us

out the back door.

We couldn't see.

Too much smoke.

We called to each other.

Houses on fire.

We heard shooting, bombs.

Mohammed said

he saw tanks and soldiers.

We ran and ran.

And that's when Abdullah fell.

Hamid said soldiers

came into his house.

Killed his grandfather,

father and mother.

His sisters, too.

We're all from Deir Yassin.

Soldiers shoved us in a truck.

Lots of smoke.

People died.

I don't know where my brothers are.

Everybody died.

What is your name?

Zeina.

Zeina.

Mama! Hello!

Hello, Hind.

We have to feed them.

Mama, don't worry.

They'll only stay a few days.

Why don't you take them

to your grandfather's?

- How many do you have?

- Nearly 200.

And they keep coming.

Dir Qassem,

Luvia, Shejerah, Ramle...

Entire villages are being

reduced to rubble.

The League of Nation is asking

if you could take children

that has been left behind.

We don't know where their families are.

There are so many.

They are here already.

I sold my properties,

most of my mother's.

You know we have to do something.

We have to get this place bigger.

We need building permits, we need

maybe to annex the other buildings.

We need help.

There is going to be a tax.

No business occurs,

no license can be issued in this city,

without donating something

for that effort. This I can assure you.

Thank you.

That's a good name for a school.

Children's Home.

Maybe their families

will find them here.

Miss Husseini, good morning.

Happy seeing you here.

Thank you. I need to talk

with Sheikh Saabah.

Excuse me.

Excuse me, Mrs. Hind Husseini,

she's here to see you.

Miss Husseini, I knew your father.

- Great man. Please.

- I'm sorry to interrupt.

But I do need five minutes of your time.

There's something very important

I want to show you.

- Nothing takes five minutes...

- If that's...

Please, what can I do for you?

It's very important.

With respect, ten minutes.

We have children

from every corner of Palestine.

And every day there is more.

Fifty-five became 900.

These kids need us

and we need them too.

Not as hungry and ignorant grown-ups,

but as strong, well-educated adults.

- Who pays for all this?

- I do.

You don't get any help

from any Arab government?

We don't want any government

to interfere.

We have some money from civilians.

My goal is to educate these kids

and give them hope.

I need you to give them future.

Miss Husseini, can I call you Hind?

Of course, please meet my mother.

Your daughter honors

not only the good name of your people,

but the whole Arab world.

Let Allah be my witness, I will

do everything I can to help you.

Thank you.

This is the military

governor and the only authority

now for East Jerusalem is Israeli law.

These are the orders

for the residents of East Jerusalem.

From now on there will be

a curfew from 7pm to 7am.

The only valid documents

will be provided

by the military near

the new Jerusalem gate.

Give up all your weapons.

Anybody concealing weapons or enemy

soldiers will be imprisoned.

- Yes?

- I'm here to see Hind Husseini.

One times one?

Excuse me, pardon me for interrupting.

I'm Colonel Edward Smith,

American Army with the UN.

Pleased to meet you, Colonel Smith.

Eddie.

What can I do for you?

I just wanted to say hello.

I'm stationed here now.

I'm staying at my Aunt's.

I can't believe my eyes,

it's been such a long time.

Yes, too long.

Girls!

All together and very politely,

nice and loud:

"Hello, Colonel Smith!"

We have kindergartens,

elementary school, high school,

and those are the dormitories.

- How are your brothers?

- Two of them are here.

I haven't seen Khalid, Amin or Ali

since the border closed.

What you've done here is incredible.

I had a lot of help.

But now, with the Israeli military

occupation, it's getting difficult.

I need documents and permissions

to cross checkpoints.

I can't get to villages

where I need to pick up orphans.

Near Bethlehem, Ramallah,

Jericho, Nabulus.

Let me try to fix that.

I always thought it was great

the way your family returned

the Christmas tree to the ground.

We always did.

After all, what was the use in

celebrating Christmas if we let it die?

- You never married?

- No.

But I have 2,000 daughters.

The big ones take care of

the small ones, that's my technique.

- Hi, Jamal.

- Hello, Miss Hind.

This baby was left

in the doorway to the mosque.

Thank you.

Eddie, this is Jamal Shahin.

One of our imams of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Nice to meet you. It's a pleasure.

- Please.

- OK. Pleased to meet you.

He helped in this garden too.

- You did a fine job.

- Thank you.

Miss Hind.

You like Hidiyah as a name?

Beautiful.

That's a fine name.

I want my girls to maintain

their Palestinian identity.

I want them to know

where they came from.

And be proud of it.

Those cactuses and stones are beautiful.

They are.

The stones used to be houses.

And the cactus were fences

to separate homes.

This was actually a village.

I know you're busy with the school.

But don't be a stranger and...

uh, write to me?

- Keep me informed.

- I will.

Thank you, Eddie.

I will never forget your help.

We have

to get out of here, come on.

I promise, I can find a job,

I can take care of us.

- What are you doing?

- I'm leaving out of here.

- What are you talking about?

- I'm leaving this sh*t.

You know what I'm talking about.

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