Much more than an army, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – or Tzahal - are an ever-present, inescapable part of life for Israelis, and a potent factor in Israel’s relationship with the rest of the world. The entity defines itself as a moral force created to defend a new country and it claims to represent the very idealism that founded this country. But this beacon of hope has now become an oppressive occupation by using methods rejected by Israelis and most of the world.
Our documentary is a deep probe into this unique military, to reveal its history, its ultra-sophisticated system (iron dome, cyber intelligence, unit 8200…), and its ever-growing internal tensions.
By bringing together field footage, interviews with soldiers and experts, archival and contemporary images, the film reveals how IDF became what it is today by understanding the spirit with which it was created – and the changes that have moved it to the wrong side of history.
Our investigation takes us beyond the battlefield. Far more than an army, the IDF is a civilian laboratory, the mirror of a society that has shifted from a post-Holocaust project with virtuous intentions to a headlong military rush, now accused in turn of genocide. But it’s also the key to its destiny. It’s time to pull back the shroud of secrecy, and discover what it is today.
Direction: Damien Fleurette
Production: Hikari & Pictanovo for ARTE G.E.I.E. & RTBF