AllMovie

Originally titled Hiuch Ha'Gdu, the Israeli-made Smile of the Lamb is set along the battle-torn West Bank. Military governor Makram Khouri tries to flush out some fugitive PLO terrorists by hanging the rotting, stinking carcass of a dead donkey in a village square. Israeli doctor Rami Danon forgets his animosity towards the PLO and, out of compassion, cuts the carcass down. For disobeying Khouri's orders, Danon becomes as much a fugitive as the Palestinians. While in hiding, Danon befriends Arab hermit Tuncel Kurtiz, whose adopted son is a member of the PLO. When the boy is killed, Danon offers himself as a hostage, willing to remain with the hermit until the Israelis leave the West Bank. An international award winner, Smile of the Lamb might very well run into distribution problems in certain politically sensitive areas of the US.