Tonight I saw perhaps the most intriguing movie ever.  The Green Prince is a documentary about Mosab Hassan Yousef, the oldest son of a Hamas founder who came to realize the brutality of his father’s organization and made the courageous decision to do something about it.  (I have referenced Mosab Hassan Yousef in previous posts, including a bit about his personal story.)

Not only does the film contain surveillance footage from his days as a spy for the Israeli Shin Bet, but also actual footage of his spy activity as front man for his father.  As impressive as that footage is, I was far more impressed with the substance of the film.  Among other things, it was a story of:

• Respect and love for his father
• Realization of the brutality of Hamas and its impact on his people
• A steady moral compass
• Trust between spy and handler
• An incredible relationship of giving up one’s life for another

Respect and love for his father

Despite disagreeing with Hamas’s goals and activities, Mosab maintains love and respect for his father to this very day.  He characterizes his father as a loving father and a humble man.  Mosab seems to believe the best about his father, while recognizing his misdirected motives.  During his tenure as an Israeli spy, Mosab arranged his father’s arrest in order to preserve his life.

Realization of Hamas’s brutality

As a young man, Mosab’s hatred of Jews grew strong as he witnessed his father’s multiple arrests at the hands of Israeli police and military.  However, after his own arrest, Mosab discovered a “prison within a prison,” where imprisoned Hamas leaders actually controlled the Hamas section of the Israeli prison.  He witnessed horrible torture and killing of their own people, and he realized the brutality that permeated the Hamas culture.  It was this realization that triggered Mosab’s desire to do something about that brutality by spying for Israel in an attempt to stop suicide bombings and other terrorist activity.

A steady moral compass

Firmly entrenched as an Israeli spy, the Shin Bet instructed Mosab to join Hamas in order to “fit in” and gain more valuable intelligence to be used by the agency.  Opposed to all Hamas stood for, Mosab refused to join, indicating that he would not give up his moral values in an effort to give the Shin Bet better information.  He also opposed killing Hamas operatives, creating considerable consternation for Shin Bet handlers.  He faithfully performed his duties as a spy, but chose not to compromise his values.

Trust between spy and handler

A critical key to the success of the spy mission was trust built between Mosab and his Israeli handler, Gonen ben Yitzhak.  Each was forced to put their trust in one another if the arrangement was going to work.  On at least two occasions Mosab yielded to Gonen’s insistence that he be arrested and imprisoned in order not to blow his cover and, thus, put his life in danger.

Giving one’s life for another

No doubt, Mosab put his life on the line in efforts to save Israelis.  In reciprocation, Gonen occasionally bent Shin Bet rules in order to honor Mosab’s convictions, thus putting Gonen’s career on the line.  Later, when the United States denied asylum to Mosab, Gonen did the unthinkable: he outed himself (a very dangerous thing for anyone in espionage) in order to serve as a witness for Mosab in his second hearing for asylum.  The bond between the two men is incredible, and was made very evident in this film.  To some degree, both are marked men today.

The documentary is not rated, but contains no foul language or inappropriate scenes.  Thus, it is appropriate for all audiences, but is showing only in limited theaters for a limited time.  Find out more about The Green Prince (including where it is playing), or watch the trailer below.  It is well worth the time and expense!  Enjoy!