Bethlehem, 2005. A young Palestinian trying to get his bearings, Sanfur is torn between his brother Ibrahim, the head of a large terrorist network, and Razi, an Israeli agent who recruited him as an informant and has over the years become a father figure. Incapable of choosing sides, he tries to help his brother’s organization, which works with Hamas, while hiding his activities from Razi. But after an operation against his brother by the Israeli agency breaks his fragile equilibrium, Sanfur is forced to choose sides…

Directed by Yuval Adler co-written by Palestinian journalist Ali Wakad, Bethlehem echoes Eran Riklis’ excellent A Borrowed Identity which was released last month. In both movies, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is seen through the eyes of a young man torn between two sides, questioning his conscience. First film by Yuval Adler, who has chosen amateur actors, Bethlehem is less interesting as a thriller, although it has a good story, than due to the internal conflicts of the protagonist. This movie lacks real strength, however, and does not have enough nerve or depth in its human and political geometry, despite a chilling ending.