As Americans prepare for Trump 2.0, they can take a break by watching "The Bibi Files," a portrait of Benjamin Netanyahu and his ongoing quest to outrun the corruption charges that have dogged him since 2016. Netanyahu rushed to congratulate Trump on his election victory, and one can only imagine the plans the two men have in store as they cement their mutual admiration society.
Consumed with political survival regardless of the cost, Trump and Netanyahu will take any action to put distance between themselves and the legal ramifications of their respective transgressions. There is no regard for the toll it will take on their countries and the rest of the world.
The documentary is directed by Alexis Bloom and produced by Alex Gibney, who was offered the police interrogation tapes of Netanyahu. He received them during the judicial crisis in Israel, and before October 7. Gibney reached out to Bloom with the material in the summer of 2023, when Israeli street demonstrations were at a fevered pitch. Attracted by the similarities between Netanyahu and her portrait of Roger Ailes, the media power manipulator who changed the face of American news, Bloom was onboard.
Netanyahu's fight to outrun the charges that could land him in jail has led to decisions that have created one of the worst conflagrations in the region-- impacting Israelis, Palestinians, neighboring countries, and even diaspora Jews.
Just as Trump has been in and out of courtrooms, Netanyahu's dealings have been under scrutiny for almost a decade. It began with a look into alleged bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, with different teams of police investigators designated to look into the assorted charges. In February 2019, the police presented their findings to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, a judge appointed by Netanyahu. The official indictments came down in November of that year and were brought simultaneously: Case 1000, Case 2000, and Case 4000. Netanyahu has the distinction of being the first Israeli Prime Minister criminally indicted while serving in office.
Nimrod Novik, a former senior policy advisor to Shimon Peres, states: "Government officials are not allowed to take gifts. Period. Others were sent to prison. No one is above the law."
The film culls from thousands of hours of leaked tapes and includes a full range of characters. Even Trump donor Miriam Adelson makes an appearance. Intercut is the backstory of Netanyahu's biography, talking heads, scenes of street demonstrations, footage of the October 7 attack, and finally, the ongoing destruction of Gaza as the "war continues aimlessly".
Israeli investigative journalist Raviv Drucker acts as a guide to the narrative. (He is also a producer.) Drucker has been sued by the Netanyahus three times, and the channel he works for has been threatened. A presence throughout, Drucker adds comments, context, and overview ("Bibi thought he was immune.") as Bloom formulates her story.
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