The Gatekeepers (2012)'s comments

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dombrewer

As a slightly more in depth retort to mathiasa's insightful review below - "The Gatekeepers" is a brilliant and damning documentary revealing decades of Israeli secret service activity from the mouths of six men who ran the Shin Bet organisation from the Six Day War to the present day, all being interviewed and speaking about their roles in the major events that took place over those years for the first time.

The Arab-Israeli conflict is highly contentious one, but I have no problem saying my sympathies for as long as I've understood and had an interest in the politics of the region have sided firmly with the Palestinians. I fully expected not to feel particular attachment or sympathy for these men who were responsible for targeting and killing Palestinian "terrorists", and true to form found myself gritting my teeth in the opening sections of the film, but what is quite extraordinary and unexpected - you find that all of the men interviewed have great sympathy for the Palestinian cause as well, actively sought a two-state solution and still believe the only way to bring peace to the country is through continued dialogue. Their criticisms of the Israeli government are harsh, going as far as to say that apart from the tragically assassinated Yitzak Rabin the previous and successive prime ministers had no interest in the fate of the Palestinian people at all. But blame for the continuing failure of reconciliation is also levelled at the fundamentalists of both sides - the hardliners of Hamas as well as the Jewish underground, fired up by extremist rabbis. I had never heard of the near-catastrophic plot to blow up the Dome of the Rock before, and was fascinated to learn of the Israeli secret service investigating their own as much as the Islamists.

Like any great documentary this film illuminates and fascinates; the six are variously bullish, aloof, militaristic, or dislikable for their actions but as they eloquently explain their predicament and the choices they had to make for better or worse, invariably without strong leadership or defined strategy, the black and white of dissolves into many, many shades of grey. It would be hard not to understand or even be convinced by their arguments. Although it has been variously denounced as strongly pro as well as strongly anti-Israeli, the truth is it's a remarkably well balanced, insightful and compelling account. The final message is a pessimistic one, but perhaps the very act of opening up and really explaining what has been going on behind closed doors in Israel could make a difference to the next generation, one that is more determined for peace on both sides than ever before. I hope so.

Interestingly this film was an Oscar nominee alongside he astonishing Palestinian/Israeli co-production "5 Broken Cameras" - watching both films together would be a sobering experience indeed, both are highly recommended.

11 years ago