Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 24 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
Life Arts   
  

"The Bibi Files": Corruption vs. Morality Meets Survival

By       (Page 2 of 4 pages) Become a premium member to see this article and all articles as one long page.   2 comments

Marcia G. Yerman
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Marcia G. Yerman
Become a Fan
  (3 fans)

The film's opening scene shows an empty chair in front of a table with a glass and a bottle of Pellegrino. A map of the Middle East is on the wall. Here, Netanyahu is read his rights, and his cross-examination takes place.

Netanyahu evades his interviewers, slams his hand down in rage and antagonism, and for ninety-five percent of the time does not recall events. He refutes inquiries with retorts such as, "You are asking me a delusional question."

The 115-minute movie has two parallel threads. The first examines Netanyahu's alleged crimes and the direct and tangential players who are grilled. The second paints a picture of Netanyahu, his personal history, and his familial relationships. His wife Sara and son Yair have prominent screen time. Uzi Beller, a childhood friend, talks about the duality of Netanyahu's personality. He describes him as two people --Bibi vs. Netanyahu. Beller shares that Netanyahu never had a lot of close friends and was overshadowed by his older brother, Yonatan (Yoni), who was the "star of the family".

Yoni is known as the hero of the July 1976 Entebbe operation. As a Lt. Colonel, he was the leader of the raid to free over one hundred hostages held by West German and Palestinian hijackers. He was the sole Israeli casualty.

Yoni's death was a fateful event that changed the trajectory of Netanyahu's life. Despite his devastation and loss, Netanyahu picked up his brother's mantle and charted a new path.

Netanyahu became the recurring public face of Israel when he got the role of Ambassador to the United Nations in 1984. He carved a niche for himself as the "protector of Israel." When called upon by the media to discuss terrorism, clips show him delivering the hardline quote, "You don't surrender."

Sara, the third wife of Netanyahu (m. 1991), presents as a lightning rod for the descent into an extravagant lifestyle that required exorbitant gifts from benefactors that would turn into dangerous quid-pro-quos. Yair Netanyahu, the eldest of their three children, completes the triad. An ultra-right winger who spouts tirades about leftists and immigrants, he complains that the police are conducting a "witch hunt" (Sound familiar?) and are "acting like the Gestapo".

In 1993, Netanyahu was embroiled in a sex scandal while running for office. Several comments suggest that it was after this incident that a relationship dynamics shift with Sara occurred. The possibility is posed: "Is Netanyahu afraid of his wife?" Descriptions of Sara are those of a "control freak" whose behavior is erratic, possibly due to her drinking. (One of the ongoing presents delivered to the household is twenty bottles of champagne per week. Code name: Pink.)

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Marcia G. Yerman Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter Page       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram Page

Marcia G. Yerman is a writer, activist, and artist based in New York City. Her articles--profiles, interviews, reporting and essays--focus on women's issues, the environment, human rights, the arts and culture. Her writing has been published by (more...)
 

Related Topic(s): Israel, Add Tags

Add to My Group(s)
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter

Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt Fails His Mission

The Climate Museum: Culture for Action

The Keystone Pipeline Is An Environmental Justice Issue

"A Woman of Interest": Murder in Arizona

"ExxonMobil Hates Your Children" and This Ad

Dr. Martin Luther King: Healing Words in Troubled Times

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend