Nur al-Shahdi wasn't born just once, but came into the world in different stages of his life in the alleyways of a refugee camp in Ramallah.

Nur is a young Palestinian who ekes out a living in a refugee camp in Ramallah. His father was a leading figure in the First Intifada, a hero who, upon his release from prison, found his former comrades transformed into high-ranking officials of the National Authority.
Nur's mother died shortly after giving birth, leaving behind a house filled with silence. Nur dreams of becoming an archaeologist and writing successful historical novels. Meanwhile, his life unfolds between Israeli military checkpoints, the scarcity of work, and the heartfelt letters he exchanges with his friend Murad, imprisoned for being a member of the resistance.

One day, Nur finds an Israeli identity document in an old coat at a flea market. After forging this blue card, he can move freely throughout Israel and begins working on an archaeological dig under the name Or Shapira, an Ashkenazi Jew. By adopting the occupier's mask, by feeling the chasm that separates both realities, Nur will also experience a brutal inner struggle in which her new personality will try to erase her original Arab identity.

Basim Khandaqji won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, the most prestigious award in Arabic literature, in 2024 with this stunning play of mirrors.