The Gatekeepers

In this much-discussed and highly relevant film, six former heads of the Israeli internal security service Shin Bet open our eyes to what is happening with Israel's war on terror. With surprising frankness, they reflect on their own dealings and the erstwhile and current security policy in their country. With much pain, Avraham Shalom even compares the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories to the German occupation of large parts of Europe during the Second World War. To back up their stories, boasts some often-rare archive footage, which has been digitally reworked so that it now appears as a full-fledged part of the film. It starts with the Six-Day War of 1967, in which Israel won an exceptional military battle but in the process came to occupy the West Bank and Gaza with their millions of Palestinian inhabitants. Giving a panorama of the history of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, filmmaker Dror Moreh tackles critical questions head-on, providing the interviewees with the space needed to express their viewpoints. This produces some fascinating insight into personal principles, career pride and the pragmatic value of fighting terrorism in contemporary politics.