Palestinian crew and actors continue to film scenes for the series ‘Qabdat al-Ahrar,’ which translates to ‘Fist of the Free’ in Arabic, on Thursday, February 3, in the northern Gaza Strip. The Palestine Chronicle joined them for the day.
‘Qabdat al-Ahrar’ focuses on Palestinian freedom fighters and their ongoing struggle to resist the Israeli occupation and siege.
It is intended to be the Palestinian response to the Israeli series ‘Fauda’, which was first aired in 2015 and is now streamed on the most popular networks around the globe.
Fauda, which was named by the New York Times as one of the best international TV shows in 2017, is largely regarded by Palestinians as a tool of Israeli propaganda.
It focuses on the Mista’arvim, the special forces of the Israeli army, which disguise themselves as Palestinian civilians and infiltrate Palestinian society. Such action leads to the killing of Palestinians, activists and civilians alike. Neither the series nor its supporters mention the fact that, under international humanitarian law, impersonating civilians by military forces amounts to the war crime of “perfidy”.
By offering an inside view of the lives and actions of Palestinian fighters, ‘Qabdat al-Ahrar’ is a creative way to provide the public with an alternative narrative, which could potentially balance out Israeli hasbara and straightforward propaganda.
(All Photos: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle)
– Mahmoud Ajjour is a Gaza-based photojournalist. He is the Palestine Chronicle’s correspondent in the Gaza Strip.
