Al-Ramla
The scenes in Al-Ramla combine scenic imagery with social imagery, providing a sense for what the community was like historically, versus the absolute paranoia that defines the community throughout the story. The town becomes a symbol for the state of Israel itself, and in a word, the tone that is created through this imagery is: hostile. Notice that the tree that was planted in peace has now died.
Images of violence.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is especially difficult to parse because both sides have historically resorted to acts of terrorism. As Dalia points out, it isn't the fault of her or her family that Zionists abused the Muslims in Palestine. But, to the Arab terrorists, Jews are the problem. To Zionist terrorists, the Arabs are the problem. When both sides stop their conflict though, the real problem is that in the past, some horrible decisions were made, but now they should find a way to be at peace, especially since both Judaism and Islam are peaceful religions when properly understood.
Pictures of home.
When Bashir goes back to Al-Ramla, what is he hoping to attain? The city is far too hostile for him to ever move back. Plus, there are new tenants living in his family house, and they won't sell anyway. The truth is that he is thirsty for a sense of home. By going home he hopes to find imagery that helps soothe him and give him a center, but instead, he makes a friend. Dalia's friendship helps him be at peace knowing that Jews live in his house. Now that he knows which Jews, he is at peace.
That doesn't mean that he finds a sense of home, though. The tree that his father planted has died. The cinema is still lost. The past cannot be regained, so he experiences a litany of images that suggest simultaneously that everything is alright, but also that he will never get what he wants from Al-Ramla; it is what it is.
Images of war.
The novel is incited by the Six-Day War of 1967 during which the Israeli-Palestinian conflict became incredibly violent. This violence serves as a reminder that the Palestinian people were literally expelled from their own houses and land and sent away as refugees. No matter what ethnicity or religion—that treatment is violent. The war is a picture of that violence manifesting itself fully.
That doesn't mean that either side is right. As the characters go about their lives, they slowly realize that the only hope for peace is to train their children to be peaceful and tolerant of others.
