Ajami

A young Israeli Arab boy who narrates the film, Nasri guides the viewer through Ajami's overlapping stories. He moves between fear and curiosity, witnessing events that pull his family and neighbors into a web of violence, loyalty, and survival. His perspective anchors the drama as the threads converge, and his fate is sealed by the film's fatal climax.

Nasri’s older brother, Omar is drawn into a feud after selling a car to a local victim. He seeks peace through a costly settlement, torn between protecting his family and the pressure to maintain safety. His struggle to pay for peace and escape the cycle of violence drives much of the plot.

A teenager from Nablus who works at Abu Elias’s restaurant to fund his mother’s surgery, Malek becomes entangled in drug dealing with Omar. He is resourceful and loyal to friends, but trapped by desperation and the lure of quick money. His arc culminates in a violent confrontation that tests his ideals and survival.

An eccentric cook at Abu Elias’s restaurant, Binj is a friend to Omar, Shata, and Malek. He falls for a Jewish girl and secretly harbors a dangerous stash of cocaine; he swaps most of it for sugar and subsequently overdoses, setting off a chain of consequences that ripple through the other chapters.

Israeli officer Dan, known as Dando, is called to respond to the Ajami stabbing and becomes obsessed with finding his brother Yoni, an IDF soldier who disappeared. His single-minded pursuit and emotional turmoil show how personal grief intersects with professional duty.

Yoni is the missing IDF soldier whose fate haunts Dando and sits at the center of the search for truth. His disappearance and subsequent discovery heighten the sense of unresolved grievance and vengeance in the story.

A local businessman who acts as a power broker and peace broker, Abu Elias arranges ceasefires and settlements to stabilize the neighborhood. His involvement illustrates how real-world mediation attempts operate under pressure from criminal networks and family loyalties.