Izzat

When ABIR SINGH, his COUSIN and friends reach war-torn Palestine in 1918, they soon join up with the veterans and experience real conflicts of courage, humour, human weakness, an unyielding military discipline and the horror of kill or be killed. A blundering military hierarchy only creates weariness and desolation for Abir and his comrades as they are forced to mature through the necessity to survive within the arid landscape and ruined, war torn towns. Following promotion for repeated bravery, Abir and his cousin are wounded and transferred to Jerusalem for recovery. This is where Abir develops a relationship with his beautiful Irish nurse SHEILAGH and realises his cousins cowardice. Haunting Abir and Sheilagh is FENTON IVES-MAYFAIR, a vain British army Captain infatuated with Sheilagh. Abir takes Sheilagh to the coast on sick-leave and the jealous officer follows them there, falsifies events to have Abir arrested for desertion and espionage. They escape but are hunted down. The prison GUARD is brutal. The JUDGES insensitive. The DEFENCE inadequate. Condemned at a perfunctory court martial to go before a firing squad as an example, just like his fellow CELL-MATE, all seems lost for Abir until his company commander, NAGRA, himself now recovering from wounds, appears to act as his new Defence. For the Judges, Abir's appeal is a waste of time and they undermine the Defence attempts as he represents Abir. Then it becomes clear the Captain has lied and falsified evidence and this prompts the Judges to do an 'about-turn' allowing the Captain to fall into Nagra's trap. In days the war will be over. Abir will be released and he and Sheilagh can be together.