Bring up the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reactions typically vary from indifference to fanaticism -- with little territory in between. Indeed, the chasm of constructive dialog is currently so narrow, that merely reducing tension in this long-troubled region would be considered a historic success. That's how low the bar has been set. Stopping all violence is probably next to impossible. Achieving an everlasting peace between Jews and Arabs seems like a starry-eyed fantasy. Six reprehensible decades of hate have produced way too much blood, far too many deaths, too many cries for revenge, too many walls and checkpoints, too many suicide bombers, too many senseless attacks on innocents, too much pain, and far too few heroes willing to put an end to all the madness and misery. Amidst this backdrop of bleakness, there's a flicker of light. A documentary has come out which stands as the most unbiased overview of this terrible conflict in recent memory. The film seeks to accomplish what may be impossible -- establishing a consensus that the best way to achieve peace is adapting a two-state solution, which means creating an independent Palestinian nation. This declaration comes not necessarily from Palestinians, but from very knowledgeable Israelis, which makes the case for a two-state solution all the more convincing. The exclamation point on this manifesto comes when taking into account the backgrounds and allegiances of these Israelis now trumpeting the loudest for a Palestinian homeland -- who feature prominently in the film. "The Gatekeepers," released in late 2012 but is just now making its way to theaters in several American cities. This groundbreaking Israeli film, nominated for a "Best Documentary" Oscar, is a serious-minded look at the history of violence in Israel and the occupied territories since the end of the 1967 Six-Day War. It's an indisputable historical record of the conflict which unintentionally created what now seems to be irreparable divisions between nations, religions, and cultures. Indeed, if the West's troubles with international terrorism and our burdens in the Middle East have an epicenter, it's neither in Iran, Iraq, or Afghanistan. Long before 9-11 and its two-war aftermath, tempers reached the boiling point a very long time ago over the land once called Palestine. "The Gatekeepers" is almost entirely in Hebrew, with English-language subtitles. That's because the six key personalities interviewed in the film are all Israelis. Remarkably, all six of the "stars" of this film are the former heads of Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency. To make things clearer, Shin Bet handles Israel's domestic conflicts, which includes the occupied territories -- comprised largely of Palestinians. This is a dark (and at times, depressing) movie. There's not much here to rejoice about. The substance and style of the film is something you'd expect to see on The Military Channel. Intelligence gathering, counter-terrorism measures, political considerations, and the day-to-day business of Shin Bet is portrayed here as never shown before. Alas, other than these six heads of the agency, virtually all Shin Bet operatives remain anonymous. Grainy black and white images from actual targeted assassinations are shown. One sees precisely how and why specific "terrorist" targets are chosen and the reasons certain enemies are eliminated. We also see what happens when things go terribly wrong, which does occur with greater frequency than many may realize. Regardless of one's personal opinion in the conflict, you can't help but be dazzled by the organization and capabilities of this extraordinary organization. But what truly makes "The Gatekeepers" a landmark achievement is the unmasking of former Shin Bet heads who all speak with remarkable candor about what they've done in the past and what they now believe about the best prospects for peace in the future. The intelligence commandos agreed to be interviewed -- each one independently -- for the first time ever on camera. What they say needs to be heard, and heralded. "The Gatekeepers" surpasses what's typically expected from this method of storytelling because it ends up challenging so many conventional assumptions. For instance, I didn't expect to by sympathetic towards Shin Bet or it's former leaders. I just assumed these intelligence/military operatives would share the dangerous hard-line fanaticism of Benjamin Netanyahu and his Right-Wing followers, who are willing to justify any action necessary for the defense of Israel no matter how much collateral damage is done. But these assumptions aren't at all reflective of these men or what they now believe. Indeed, the 90-minute film builds slowly towards that gradual transformation of opinion among all six agency heads -- each independently reaching an identical conclusion. That each of these men -- of different ages and having served at different periods -- finally came to realize that the Palestinians might actually have a legitimate case for their fury wasn't just surprising, but shocking. This is ultimately why "The Gatekeepers" soars. It defies expectations. It reveals things aren't what they seem and most certainly aren't black and white. They are increasingly gray. Assuming you care about the future and what is perhaps the most important area of dispute in the world, this is a movie that you'll be thinking about long after you've departed the theater. Unfortunately, few people will get that chance. Few Americans care enough to go see a documentary about some war being fought in a faraway place. Why try and learn about history and current events when instead you can pay $10 to shut off your mind and become a vegetable for 95 minutes? But this is a movie made for everyone else. "The Gatekeepers" pulls no punches and gets few style points. But it sure is thought-provoking. One can only wish the right people will see it and take note of what these remarkable experts in their field are saying, and then listen. It might be the only hope we have extinguish the fires of conflict while fanatics on both sides ceaselessly continue to pour gasoline on the flames.
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