“Abir’s Death”
McCann explicates, “The bullet that killed Abir travelled fifteen metres through the air before it smashed into the back of her head, crushing the bones in her skull like those of a tiny ortolan. She had gone to the shop to buy sweets.” The speed at which the bullet moves contributes to its fatal nature. Moreover, it hits her in a delicate area which diminishes her chances of survival. The ortolan underlines her vulnerability in the face of the bullet. She would not anticipate that her engagement of procuring sweets would expose her to death.
Jeremiah
McCann expounds, “His (Jeremiah) image can be found on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, painted by Michelangelo in the early sixteenth century…Jeremiah sits, bearded and brooding, in long salmon-colored robes, his finger extended across his mouth, his eyes cast downward." The image affirms Jeremiah's weight among the Christians. He is a powerful figure that his image is included in the chapel. His appearance in the image conveys that he is a thoughtful, religious figure.
Classes
McCann reports, “After a year in lock-up Bassam established a schedule for classes. English. Hebrew. Arab History. Israeli Law. The Fall of the Ottoman Empire. The History of the Zionist Movement. Pre-Islamic Poetry. The Geography of the Middle East. Life in Palestine under the British Mandate. Know your enemy, know yourself." Bassam is determined to be knowledgeable for he enrolls for multiple classes. Through the classes, Bassam anticipates that he will be informed and enlightened than he was while locked up. The classes are projected to satisfy Bassam's desire for education.
Smadar’s death
McCann writes, “The bombers were dressed as women their explosive belts strapped around their stomachs. They had shaved closely and wore headscarves to hide their faces. They had all come originally from the village of Assira al-Shamaliya in the West bank. It was, for two of them, the first time they had ever been in Jerusalem.” The dressing is intended to mislead other parties about their intentions. Women would not be perceived as a threat due to their perceived vulnerability. Concealing faces is intended to conceal their faces further and to limit the suspicions they would arouse. The gender disguise makes it easy for the terrorists to launch their attacks which results in Smadar’s demise.
