Rob has been after me to watch this with him for a while now, but between our work schedules, the timing hadn't worked out until last night. It's a fascinating documentary but you should probably brush up on your Israeli politics before you watch. The film-makers spend absolutely zero time on biographies or tangential information and it's easy to get lost trying to remember in what order Israeli Prime Ministers came.From the establishment of Israel as a state, the Shin Bet has provided intelligence-gathering and anti-terrorism responses. The six interviewed former heads are incredibly open about the circumstances they found themselves in, their responses, the Prime Ministers they reported to, and their personal philosophies. They discuss the peace process with Palestinians, the resulting upswing in terrorist attacks, changing focus to keep up with new threats, and the deep disappointment they felt when they realized that terrorism can also come from within.
I have worked in military intelligence for nearly all of my career so I can empathize highly with these men. They face very difficult decisions in a world that is not cut and dry, knowing that they can and will be left in the cold should a decision prove to be politically detrimental. I found this film to be tinged with sadness as a result. Call it the burden of knowledge.
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