By Nate Feldman
Movie Title: Bethlehem
Year: 2013
This movie tells the story of Razi, an Israeli intelligence official, and his relationship with Sanfur, a young Palestinian from Bethlehem in the West Bank, who works as an informant. Sanfur's brother, Ibrahim, is a leading militant with the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a major Palestinian militant group, and is responsible for a deadly suicide bombing in Jerusalem.
Eventually, through intelligence work, they are able to locate Ibrahim at a market in Bethlehem and kill him. Razi instructs Sanfur to go to Hebron, where Sanfur's aunt lives, as he wants the boy to not get caught up in the assassination attempt on his brother.
Badawi, a local leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, and his associates discover that Sanfur worked as a collaborator with Israeli intelligence. They threaten to kill him publicly, but promise they'll spare him if he kills Razi.
This film very clearly shows both the horrors of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict while also trying to show the humanity on both sides. It plays out like a Shakespearean tragedy at so many levels, a great reflection of the actual conflict itself. In an ideal world, Razi and Sanfur wouldn't be forced to be a part of this deadly game. They both clearly have feelings of affection and empathy for the other. At the same time, the war forces them to make devastating choices.
I highly recommend this film for people looking to get a very nuanced, empathetic portrayal of the issues between Israelis and Palestinians.
