I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Best movie ever!

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

First of all, Hiam Abbass (The Visitor, Amreeka) once more demonstrates how she can portray reactions to heartbreaking with dignity and resilience. She is a truly amazing actress. Based on an amalgam of true incidents, the Lemon Tree serves from beginning to end as a parable for what we all hope and what most of u (but not all) believe to be the majority of well-meaning human beings on both sides. Personally, they mean no harm; they wish that the violence would go away and that they could live their lives as "good neighbors" in the words of Defense Minister's wife Mira Navon (hauntingly portrayed by Rona Lipaz-Michal). However, the courage to stand up to one's own peoples to cross the borders is rare. Even when summoned, it is squashed quickly by well- meaning people afraid of the consequences. The movie remains true to itself and its characters throughout. There are few callous stereotypes to be found here. Yet, in the words of The Temptation in Ball of Confusion (NOT part of this wonderful soundtrack), "the band plays on." Relentlessly. The story is an almost perfect parable for the heart of the entire situation. As a movie, however, I found 30 minutes of it too repetitive, just underscoring again and again the mindless yet entrenched obstacles. As an even-handed political dissertation, such defenses should earn any PhD candidate her or his "A". As entertainment, however, it hurts the pacing enough that one watching on DVD needs to splash cold water on one's face to make it all the way to the end. Please do so, however, because the ending is magnificent.Worth seeing, just a bit slow in patches.

" Lemon Tree" is a beautifully told story about the life in Israel. In order to assure security of the new house of the minister of Defence, the state orders that the lemon grove that belongs to a Palestinian widow next door has to be cut down. Lets not have silly notions about justice and democracy. How could the unimportant lonely women win? The bigger issue at stake here is how absolutely helpless her position is. Between oppressive Israeli regime and equally oppressive conservative, patriarchal Muslim culture, she had to be squashed. In the filthy game of politics average people and their unimportant needs never stood a chance. Here or there.

Hiam Abbass delivers a Stunning, Stirring performance, in this morality tale. Based on a true story, Selma, a lonely Palestinian widow tends the Family Lemon Grove, which she inherited from her late father. She spends her days tending to the grove, managing to earn a living, when, with out notice, a Look out tower is plunked down next to and over looking her beloved grove. She then receives a letter informing her that her new neighbor is the new Israeli Defense Minister and her grove poses a threat to his security, and must be up rooted. Armed with Sheer determination and a lawyer she will take her case all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court. Along the way Selma finds a most unlikely Ally. Director Eran Riklis, who also co-wrote the script, weaves the lives and images of life in Palestine and Israel and of this three thousand year old problem into an impartial morality tell that will Inspire conversation long after the movie is over. The entire cast delivers solid performances, but Hiam Abbass owns every moment of the film. Abbass will be starring in the New Movie "Miral"

Lemon Tree is set on both lines of the green line border between Israeli and the West Bank.When the newly-appointed defense minister Israel Navon(Doron Tavory)moves in a house which is on the border,the Israeli secret service sees the neighboring lemon grove as a threat to the defense minister and her wife so it is militarily decreed that all the lemon trees be uprooted arguing that the grove could be used as a hiding point to realize a terroristic attack.On the other hand,the owner of the grove,Salma(Hiam Abbass)inherited the grove from his late father and she thinks no money could compensate the loss.So,she sues the minister with the help of the lawyer Ziad Daud (Ali Suliman). When she loses the case in the court she takes it to the Supreme Court and sets a precedent.The movie is based on a real life incident.In 2006 while acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the cutting down of Palestinian olive trees a "criminal act" that needed to be treated with "full force", ironically the security forces began cutting down the olive trees near the house of Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, the depicted minister in the movie. Eran Riklis does not take sides as an Israeli filmmaker. His movie superbly juxtaposes the hypocrisy of Israeli authorities and the corruptness of Palestinian authorities.For instance,when Salma tries to bring her case,which is newly beginning to get media attention, to the presence of the president, her efforts are met by the answer:"But the President is always busy." Along with talebearers who speak ill off her closeness with her lawyer,things get tougher for Salma. Hiam Abbass does a great job in portraying a Palestinian widow who is torn apart between her 10-year loneliness,her helplessness and the temporary affection of somebody she barely knows.I've watched her in Paradise Now (2005)and The Visitor (2008) before and I think she is really doing better. Rona Lipaz-Michael as the wife of the defense minister who forges a sweet humanistic bond with the widow is no slouch at doing the job either. Those two lead the movie but you just find yourself feeling a natural sympathy to almost every character somehow. In a world of too much blood and too much politics movies like ETZ LIMON serves a great purpose!