The movie depicts how the interdependent and protracted nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict invades all aspects of Israeli and Palestinian societies, including love, sexuality, and popular culture. This scene opens the movie ‘The Bubble’, a tragic love story between two Israeli and Palestinian men whose relationship becomes interwoven with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They exchange long looks, longer than necessary, and the soldier’s interest is piqued. Ashraf lifts his shirt up, revealing his naked chest to the soldier checking him out. “All the men, stand in two lines and take your shirts off slowly”. He is counting the minutes until he finishes his reserve duty and can return to his life in a liberal bubble in Tel-Aviv.
He is holding a rifle and dressed in full uniform and protective gear, yet he could not care less.
The camera focuses on a soldier standing at a checkpoint, inspecting Palestinians who are crossing into Israel to work.
