Morning Song

Nye’s “Morning Song” portrays details of the life of a young Palestinian girl in the West Bank who is trying to document and fight against the horrors of a Palestinian’s daily life. 1948 marked the official beginning of Israel: The Jewish people rejoiced and the Muslim Palestinians escaped to the West Bank, Jordan, and elsewhere. In 1967, a six-day war resulted in Israel’s claiming the West Bank. Since then, Palestinians have lived next to a separation wall famous for its graffitied messages, Jewish settlements, and security checkpoints. Palestinians needing to enter Israel for work often wait in long lines at early morning hours. Palestinian children often require Israeli soldiers as escorts to class because of attacks from nearby Jewish settlers.

Every year, the Jewish people march and celebrate the 1967 takeover as a reunification. However, on this day, many Palestinians stay indoors for safety reasons. Since the 1987 uprising of Palestinians against Israel, Palestinian teenagers taunt and clash with Israeli security, almost as a rite of passage. These confrontations often result in tear gas or rifle shots.

Other violent uprisings have occurred since the 1980s, including the most recent in May 2021. Both sides have not yet come to a peaceful agreement though they have engaged in various talks over the years, including those about the most popular proposition to date—a two-state solution.