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Israel 2012
Directed by
Dror Moreh
101 minutes
Rated M

Reviewed by
Sharon Hurst
3.5 stars

The Gatekeepers

Synopsis: Politics is never black and white, least so in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “The Gatekeepers” are six former heads of the Shin Bet, Israel’s Secret Service who reflect upon the difficult job they have had to do amidst the endless conflict. The moral dilemmas they faced, by their own admissions, have been overwhelming.

This documentary mixes talking heads interviews with archival footage of critical incidents in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 1967 war in which Israel annexed much of its enemy’s lands and essentially became an occupation force presiding over a hostile, stateless Arab population.  I would have a liked a potted account of the prior history in order to get a better grasp of why there is so much bitterness. Nevertheless, director Moreh packs in so much information about the current troubles that we get a pretty good understanding of why the problems in this region are so entrenched.

Jumping around in time (a style I don’t like, give me the linear approach please), we get an insight into the 1982 Lebanon war, the blowing up of countless Israeli buses, the beginning of the Intifida (Arab uprising), the Israeli army trying to stop Jewish settlers on Palestinian lands in 1974, the 1980 Hebron bombings, Israeli brutally against the Arabs, Israeli protests against their own government and the rise of Hamas. We learn that the Shin Bet’s remit extends to keeping a watchful eye not only upon Arab terrorists but also Jewish extremists some of whom have been caught putting bombs onto Arab buses and who also threatened to blow up the Dome of the Rock, sacred to the Islamic world. Tiny glimmers of hope are seen in resolutions such as the historic Oslo Accord of 1993 which was supposed to end the conflict, but never did, moderate Prime Minister Rabin, who signed the Accord, being assassinated by a Jewish fanatic two years later.

But the most disturbing information comes from the mouths of the six gatekeepers themselves. It is quite remarkable that the director got such high-ranking people to talk so frankly and in a way that is critical of their own government. Some of the Shin Bet heads accuse Israeli PMs of simply ignoring the Arab issues whilst others speak of the irrationality on both sides. Whilst for the Arabs, one says, victory is to see their enemies suffer another speaks of an overreaction by the Israelis in which they dropped a 1-tonne bomb on the home of an Arab leader in Gaza. We are left in no doubt as to the culpability on both sides. Some of the observations are chilling and it is small wonder that if these men supposedly entrusted to keep peace in their land see it this way that the situation is seemingly irresolvable.

The subject matter of this documentary is so important that it’s a shame that it is not presented in a more appealing manner. There are too many scenes of talking heads, non-chronological sequences, and a lot of archival footage in inconsistent aspect ratios. Nevertheless The Gatekeepers is a powerful and sobering film that should remind all people of the critical necessity for more negotiation in the Israeli-Palestinian situation and less prejudice and knee-jerk reactions in all levels of life.

 

 

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