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8 Must Watch Documentaries about Israel

Explore the best documentaries about Israel

Intro: Documentaries about Israel

Israel is a country that is situated in the Eastern Mediterranean, and it has a population of approximately 8.3 million people. It is bordered by Egypt , Jordan, Syria, Lebanon , and the Palestinian territories. The country's history dates back thousands of years to the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Modern-day Israel covers an area about twice the size of New Jersey.

Israel has one of the most diverse populations in the world, with Jews being 77% of its citizens. Israel contains over 400 archaeological sites with 5,000 years worth of architectural heritage including synagogues, churches, mosques, monasteries, forts and castles . The capital city, Jerusalem, is also considered holy to Jews as well as Muslims due to its significance in Judaism and Christianity respectively. Israel has been fighting for independence since 1948 after being recognized by France as a sovereign state on May 14th 1948 and later recognized by many other countries around the world.

In this post, we'll learn more about this country through a collection of documentaries about Israel.

1. History of Israel Documentary

A country that has always been contested, Israel is steeped in a complex and often violent history. Israel's roots go back to biblical times: many of its earliest inhabitants were Jewish, and it's considered the ancestral homeland of the Jews. The modern state of Israel was founded in 1948 to provide a safe haven for those fleeing persecution in Europe after World War II . It became an independent nation on May 14th, 1948. This is where the story begins...

2. Israel: Birth of a Nation

The Israeli Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on May 14, 1948. This important event in the history of Israel and the Jewish people is captured in this documentary film. The film is a record of the last days of the British Mandate and what led up to the declaration, as well as an eyewitness account to one of the greatest moments in Jewish history.

3. Israel: Dream of the future

As a small country, Israel has always had to fight. For its existence firstly, then for its defense and development as well as the region’s history being steeped in incredible wealth because it's been a crossroads for major civilizations and religions which have contributed to Europe, Arabic and Asian worlds with their commerce. Pierre Brouwers has scoured this land made rich by immigration from everywhere, including those that came before wars (such as Jews) who've created an interesting culture there that is ever keen on shaping their future through the importance they give the past.

4. The 50 Years War Israel and the Arabs: Part 1

The Arab-Israeli War lasted from 1948-1949, when the newly formed state of Israel was attacked by neighboring Arab states. It was a war that history remembers as a stalemate, in which both sides lost considerable numbers of people and property. There were also the consequences of the Jewish people being expelled from their homes in what is now known as Palestine. The Israelis were able to hold on to territory in western Palestine, but they had to give up territory in eastern Palestine in order to appease the Egyptians. In the end, it wasn't until after the Six Day War two years later that Israel secured their boundaries. They did this by capturing more land from Syria and Jordan, making Jerusalem part of its territory for the first time since 1948.

5. The 50 Years War Israel and the Arabs: Part 2

Ever since 1948, Israel and Palestine have been engaged in a conflict that has never been solved. The main dispute between the two is over the land of Israel. It is a war that has been going on for decades. The original focus of the conflict was on territory – who would own what – but it soon became about more than just land. To learn more about this ongoing war, keep reading.

Enjoy the second part of this remarkable series.

6. The Complex History Of The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict

As the war went on, Britain's double-dealings during WW1 triggered tragedy for Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. This is a story of intrigue among rival empires; misguided strategies; conflicting promises to Palestine and Israel, which created a legacy of bloodshed that determined their fate.

7. Gaza: The Fight For Israel (Middle East Documentary)

The Israeli government attempted to remove 8,500 Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The operation split Israel down the middle, with one side believing that it was a religious duty to settle land and the other believing they were an obstacle to peace. This observational documentary follows General Dov Weissglas as he is faced with this major challenge of his career-and life!

8. Netanyahu at War - Israeli Documentary

"Netanyahu at War" is a documentary that tells the story of Israel's prime minister from his earliest days as a sharp-tongued, controversial Israeli official to his first term as prime minister.

The film uses interviews with friends and family, rare home movies and other archival material to take viewers on a journey through Netanyahu's life. From a young man fighting in Israel's war of independence, to the country's youngest ambassador, to the leader of the right-wing Likud party -- this film reveals for the first time how Netanyahu's personal history has shaped his political destiny.

Netanyahu has been photographed as a patriot and peacemaker, as well as an aggressive hardliner. But who is he really? "Netanyahu at War" charts the arc of his life from soldier to politician and explores what drives him: family ties, religious faith or a sense of destiny?

Conclusions: Documentaries about Israel

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The Best Documentaries about Israel

Nov 7, 2023 | Best Of , Culture , History

Situated in the Eastern Mediterranean, Israel is a country with an 8.3 million population and borders countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria , Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. With its long history dating back to ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah, this country has earned global recognition since 1948 for its independence. Moreover, it holds within itself over 400 archaeological sites that are 5,000 years old along with various religious structures like synagogues and churches. Its capital city Jerusalem is considered holy by both Jews and Muslims due to their respective religions. To know more about this unique nation of diversity we have compiled the best documentaries about Israel which will serve as our guide through its culture and heritage!

1948: Creation & Catastrophe (2018)

Magical Israel: A Journey Through 5,000 Years of History (2010)

Modern Warfare: Six Day War – Third Arab-Israeli War (2003)

Body and Soul – The State of the Jewish Nation (2014)

Yom Kippur War – 1973 Arab-Israeli War (2003)

Life by the Sword: The Israel Defense Forces (2012)

The Hope: The Rebirth of Israel (2015)

Israel: The Royal Tour (2014)

Israel- Salt of the earth: The South (2023)

The Best Free Israel Documentaries

1. netanyahu at war.

This documentary takes a look at the life of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister. Through interviews with family and friends, rare home movies, and archival material we get an insight into how his personal history has shaped his political destiny. We explore what motivates him – is it patriotism, faith or a sense of predestination? From being one of the youngest ambassadors to leading the right-wing Likud party – this film offers an in-depth analysis as to who he really is and why he makes certain decisions. Follow us on this journey through Netanyahu’s life from soldier to politician – “Netanyahu at War”.

2. Gaza: The Fight For Israel

The Israel-Gaza conflict has been one of the most challenging issues for the Israeli government since its formation. This documentary follows General Dov Weissglas as he is faced with the difficult task of removing 8,500 Jewish settlers from the Gaza strip in 2005. It examines how this operation split Israel’s population down the middle, and explores both sides of this complex issue – those who believe it is a religious duty to settle land and those who see them as an obstacle to peace. Watch now to gain insight into this thorny problem!

3. The Complex History Of The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict

This documentary is a must-watch for those wanting to understand the complex history of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Through interviews with experts and scholars, as well as archival footage, it offers an in-depth look at how Britain’s double-dealings during WW1 triggered tragedy for Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. Avi Shlaim, Professor at Oxford University calls it ‘one of best documentary I have ever seen’. Follow us on this journey through time to understand why conflicting promises created a legacy of bloodshed that has determined their fate up until today.

4. The 50 Years War Israel and the Arabs: Part 1

The Arab-Israeli War was an incredibly consequential conflict that changed the course of history. This documentary explores the different events leading up to and during this war, as well as its lasting effects. It looks at how Israel secured its boundaries after 1948 by taking more land from Syria and Jordan, and examines how this war led to Jewish people being expelled from their homes in what is now known as Palestine. We also explore the aftermath of the Six Day War two years later which further cemented Israel’s borders. Watch this documentary for a comprehensive look at one of the most important conflicts in modern history.

5. The 50 Years War Israel and the Arabs: Part 2

For the past half century, Israel and Palestine have been engaged in a conflict that has had no resolution. This series dives into the history of this ongoing war – from its roots in territorial disputes to its current state of affairs. In Part 2, you will learn more about what lies behind this fifty-year struggle and how it has evolved over time. Join us as we explore this incredible story!

6. Israel: Dream of the future

Israel is a small but powerful country that has had to fight for its existence since it was established. This documentary looks at the diverse cultures and religions that have contributed to Israel’s history, as well as the immigrants who helped shape its future. Pierre Brouwers takes us on a journey through this unique land, exploring how Jews and others before wars have made it rich with their culture and commerce. Discover how these people are still working towards creating an even brighter future in this amazing 10 Best Documentaries about Israel!

7. History of Israel Documentary

The modern state of Israel was founded in 1948 and has since been a contested region with a complex history. From its ancient roots to the present day, this documentary delves into the fascinating story of Israel’s past and examines how it continues to shape its future. Learn about the establishment of Israel as a safe haven for Jewish people escaping persecution during World War II, and explore why this land remains so important today. Discover who lived there before, what happened when they arrived, and how their presence continues to affect the nation. With expert interviews and archival footage, get an up-close look at one of the most controversial countries in world history: The State of Israel!

8. Israel: Birth of a Nation

This documentary film captures one of the most significant moments in Jewish history – the Israeli Declaration of Independence, proclaimed on May 14, 1948. It follows the last days leading up to this momentous event and provides an eye-witness account of a defining moment for Israel and its people. Relive this important milestone with us as we explore what led up to it, and how it shaped the nation it is today.

9. Six days that changed the Middle East: The ’67 Arab-Israeli War

This documentary takes an in-depth look at the Six-Day War of 1967 and its long-term consequences on the Middle East. It dives into the roots of this conflict, from 1948’s Nakba to 1956’s Suez Crisis, and covers all six days of battle with great detail. The film explores how this war changed Israel’s territorial claims and solidified their military dominance in the region. Don’t miss out on this informative journey through one of modern history’s most critical events!

10. Journey Through Israel

Join me on a journey through the Holy Land, exploring Israel and Palestine. From the beautiful beaches of modern Tel Aviv to the religious landmarks of Jerusalem, I’ll show you all that this diverse region has to offer. Along the way I’ll meet locals and taste some delicious local cuisine!

But it’s not just about fun – I’ll also talk about politics & history as we explore some of the sites most affected by conflicts in the area. Read up on different sources for more information if you’re interested in learning more. Come along with me and discover why Israel is such an amazing place to visit!

11. Rick Steves’ The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today

Rick Steves’ The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today is an informative hour-long special that provides a comprehensive look into the lives of Israelis and Palestinians. From Jerusalem’s ancient ramparts to Tel Aviv’s modern skyline, this documentary takes viewers on a journey through Israel and Palestine where we learn about security walls, settlements, olive harvesting near Hebron, visiting a home in Bethlehem, as well as understanding the challenges facing the region. Join us on this enlightening journey through The Holy Land!

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9 Israeli Documentaries You Need to Watch

Israel writer

The last decade has seen a swathe of engrossing documentaries emerge from Israel, placing the country’s film industry on the international map. Not only do these 9 documentaries make for great viewing, they also offer an insightful glimpse into the complexities of Israeli history and society.

The law in these parts (2011).

Directed by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, this award-winning documentary explores the reality of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank , a territory it gained control over following 1967’s Six Day War. Probing beneath the surface of this occupation, Alexandrowicz interviews judges, lawyers and military generals who were directly involved in its handling. In doing so, he provides us with a stark and brutally honest depiction of this occupation and the dilemmas it poses.

Waltz With Bashir (2009)

Dancing in jaffa (2014).

Fundamentally, Hilla Medalia’s documentary is about peace and coexistence . It follows ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine’s Dancing Classrooms program in Jaffa, Israel, an area with a mixed Arab and Jewish Israeli population. Focusing on three children of different faiths and backgrounds, this documentary shows the deep-rooted issues and barriers that exist in Israel and the power of the arts in bringing people together, presenting a blueprint for hope and a positive future.

The Gatekeepers (2013)

Dror Moreh’s Oscar nominated documentary is based on interviews with six former leaders of Israel’s highly secretive counter terrorism intelligence agency, Shin Bet. With an unprecedented degree of openness – this was the first time they agreed to be interviewed – Moreh provides us with a gripping and thought-provoking account of Israel’s security situation since the 1967 war, from Palestinian suicide bombings to the assassination of Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an Israeli Jewish extremist.

Defamation (2009)

In Defamation, Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir, with a touch of irreverence, tackles a sensitive and much discussed question ubiquitous in the Jewish world: what is anti-Semitism today? He meets with a diverse range of Jewish people, including leading figures in the American community, Israeli students visiting Auschwitz, his grandmother, and controversial historian Norman Finkelstein. The result is a provocative and insightful account of how Jews today define and relate to anti-Semitism.

The Green Prince (2014)

Mosab Hassan Yousef’s father was one of Hamas’s founders. This remarkable documentary shows how he became an informant for a decade for Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet. Comprising of interviews between Yousef and his Israeli handler, Gonen Ben Yitzhak, Nadav Schirman’s portrayal of this real-life spy story makes for gripping viewing.

Numbered (2012)

In Auschwitz, inmates were dehumanised; their names became numbers, permanently tattooed on their arms. In Numbered, directors Dana Doron and Uriel Sinai provide an intimate, highly poignant account of how Auschwitz survivors relate to their numbers now, and how they have impacted their lives and the lives of those around them.

The Flat (2011)

Director Arnon Goldfinger is the grandson of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. When clearing out his grandmother’s Tel Aviv flat after her death, he stumbles upon a scarcely believable discovery: she had been friends with a high-ranking Nazi official. Shocked and determined to find answers, Goldfinger travels to Germany to meet the Nazi’s daughter and historians, as he embarks on a personal journey to uncover his family’s past and suppressed secrets.

Paper Dolls (2011)

Tomer Heymann’s documentary film tells the story of a group of Filipino transvestites he befriended, who, rejected by their families, moved to Israel to work illegally. Their job? Caring for elderly, Orthodox Jewish men, and once a week, performing drag in a group called ‘Paper Dolls’ in Tel Aviv.

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10 Best Documentaries About Israel

• by Jonny Duncan
• January 4, 2024 January 4, 2024

These documentaries about Israel show a nation steeped in millennia of history and cultural significance, from its ancient roots in biblical narratives to its modern-day geopolitical complexities, Israel’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and multifaceted identity.

Documentaries About Israel

Documentaries exploring the diverse facets of Israel provide a lens through which you can gain insights into its rich heritage, dynamic society, and the challenges it faces.

Although there are plenty of documentaries about Israel to watch, these 10 will give you a good overview of the nation.

Waltz with Bashir (2008)

Waltz with Bashir is an animated documentary film directed by Ari Folman and is a unique and powerful exploration of memory, trauma, and the impact of war, specifically focusing on the 1982 Lebanon War .

The documentary combines animation, interviews, and documentary footage to tell the story of director Ari Folman’s own experiences as an Israeli soldier during the war.

The narrative is framed around Folman’s attempt to recover his lost memories of the war, particularly the events surrounding the Sabra and Shatila massacre. The film delves into the psychological toll of war on individuals and societies, portraying how memories can be distorted or suppressed as a coping mechanism.

The animation in “Waltz with Bashir” is visually striking and serves to create a dreamlike atmosphere, emphasizing the surreal nature of war and its lasting impact on those who have experienced it. The film also incorporates interviews with fellow soldiers, journalists, and psychologists, adding a layer of documentary authenticity to the storytelling.

“Waltz with Bashir” received widespread acclaim for its innovative approach to documentary filmmaking, earning nominations and awards, including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Gatekeepers (2012)

The Gatekeepers is a thought-provoking documentary directed by Dror Moreh and stands out as a powerful exploration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the eyes of the individuals who once held the position of head of Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service.

The documentary features in-depth interviews with six former directors of Shin Bet, offering a rare and candid look into their experiences, decisions, and reflections on the complex and enduring issues surrounding Israel’s national security.

The interviewees discuss their roles during critical moments in Israeli history, including times of conflict and political upheaval. Their narratives provide valuable insights into the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by those tasked with ensuring the security of the nation.

“The Gatekeepers” paints a nuanced picture of the challenges inherent in balancing the imperative of national security with the ethical considerations and consequences of their actions.

The documentary utilizes archival footage, historical documents, and animated sequences to enhance the storytelling, creating a compelling narrative that not only delves into the intricacies of intelligence and security operations but also prompts viewers to contemplate broader questions about the nature of power, conflict, and the pursuit of peace in the region.

It has been praised for its balanced and engaging approach, sparking discussions about the complexities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of security agencies in shaping the nation’s destiny.

Five Broken Cameras (2011)

Five Broken Cameras is a poignant documentary co-directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi that provides a deeply personal and gripping account of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the lens of Emad Burnat’s cameras.

Emad, a Palestinian farmer, initially began filming to capture the growth of his youngest son, Gibreel. However, as the Israeli settlement of Modi’in Illit encroached upon his village of Bil’in in the West Bank, his focus shifted to documenting the resistance of the local community against the Israeli occupation.

The title “Five Broken Cameras” refers to the five cameras that Emad used to document events over the years, each damaged in the course of clashes and confrontations.

The documentary spans a period of several years, providing a chronological and personal narrative of the struggles faced by the residents of Bil’in as they peacefully protest the construction of the separation barrier and the encroachment of settlements on their land.

The film not only captures the physical toll of the conflict but also portrays the emotional and psychological impact on the individuals involved. It offers a rare and intimate perspective on the resilience of a community as they strive for justice and a better future for their children.

“Five Broken Cameras” received critical acclaim for its raw and unfiltered portrayal of the human cost of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2013.

Precious Life (2010)

Precious Life is a moving documentary directed by Shlomi Eldar that focuses on the story of a Palestinian baby, Mohammad Abu Mustafa, born with a life-threatening immune deficiency disorder. His condition requires a bone marrow transplant for a chance at survival, and the only hope lies in finding a compatible donor, who happens to be an Israeli.

The documentary follows the journey of Mohammad and his mother, Raida, as they navigate the complexities of the Israeli healthcare system, seeking treatment at Tel Aviv’s Tel Hashomer Hospital. The emotional and ethical challenges faced by both the Palestinian family and the Israeli medical professionals are central themes in the film.

As the narrative unfolds, “Precious Life” delves into the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, exploring the impact of political tensions and societal divisions on individual lives.

The film prompts you to reflect on the shared humanity that transcends political boundaries and underscores the universal desire for life, health, and well-being.

“Precious Life” received acclaim for its compassionate storytelling and its ability to humanize a conflict often viewed through a political lens.

The documentary serves as a powerful reminder of the potential for empathy and collaboration even in the midst of deep-seated geopolitical conflicts, emphasizing the universal importance of preserving and cherishing life.

Wild Israel (2016)

Wild Israel is a 5-part documentary series about the wildlife and nature of the region and is one of the best documentaries about Israel to watch to learn more about the “wild side” of the nation.

From the spectacular shores of the Red Sea to the scorching heat of the Negev desert, Israel boasts a diverse array of natural landscapes. Explore the vast kaleidoscope of animal and plant life that populate its dramatic topography.

Start with episode one:

The Law in These Parts (2011)

The Law in These Parts is a documentary directed by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz that critically examines the legal framework that Israel established in the West Bank and Gaza Strip following the Six-Day War in 1967.

The documentary delves into the legal structures, military orders, and judicial mechanisms put in place by Israel to govern the occupied territories.

Key elements of the documentary include interviews with Israeli military legal professionals who played instrumental roles in creating and implementing these legal systems.

Through their perspectives, “The Law in These Parts” provides insight into the legal reasoning, challenges, and ethical considerations that shaped the Israeli military’s approach to administering the occupied territories.

The film raises important questions about the impact of such legal structures on the lives of Palestinians living under occupation. It scrutinizes the ways in which the legal system has been used to justify and legitimize policies that affect the daily lives of the Palestinian population.

The Oslo Diaries (2018)

The Oslo Diaries is a documentary film directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan that provides a comprehensive and behind-the-scenes look at the secret negotiations that led to the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the early 1990s.

The Oslo Accords were a historic development that aimed to address key issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the status of Palestinian territories, the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, and the recognition of Israel by the PLO.

The negotiations took place in Oslo, Norway, and were conducted in secret, leading to a surprising breakthrough in the peace process.

“The Oslo Diaries” utilizes a combination of archival footage, interviews, and personal diaries of the key players involved in the negotiations. It offers a nuanced exploration of the challenges, hopes, and setbacks faced by both Israeli and Palestinian negotiators during this critical period.

The film sheds light on the personal relationships and dynamics that played a role in the peace talks, as well as the geopolitical pressures that influenced the process.

By providing an insider’s perspective on the Oslo Accords, “The Oslo Diaries” contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexities and intricacies involved in attempting to broker peace in one of the world’s most enduring and contentious conflicts.

Louis Theroux: The Ultra Zionists (2011)

Louis Theroux: The Ultra Zionists” is a documentary film that was part of the BBC Two documentary series “Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends.” Louis Theroux, a British documentary filmmaker and journalist, explores various subcultures and communities in his documentaries.

In “The Ultra Zionists,” Theroux investigates the lives and perspectives of some of the most extreme and passionate supporters of Israel in the West Bank.

He spends time with individuals and families who have settled in Israeli settlements, and the documentary delves into their motivations, beliefs, and the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict making it one of the best documentaries about Israel to watch that explores the settler issue in the region.

Disturbing the Peace (2016)

Disturbing the Peace focuses on a group of former enemy combatants – Israeli soldiers from the elite unit and Palestinian fighters – who have come together to form the group Combatants for Peace. The organization advocates for a nonviolent resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The film follows the personal journeys of these individuals who, once involved in violence, decide to work towards peace and reconciliation. It provides a close look at their experiences, struggles, and efforts to bridge the divide between their communities.

“Disturbing the Peace” is known for its exploration of the human side of the conflict, highlighting the potential for change and reconciliation even in the midst of longstanding political tensions.

The Birth of Israel (2008)

The Birth of Israel is an excellent history documentary about Israel by the BBC. It focuses on the buildup to what led to the Israeli war of Independence and its lasting impact on the Middle East and between Israelis and Arabs.

This is one of the best documentaries about Israel to get a good insight into the beginnings of the nation of Israel.

Whether delving into historical accounts, contemporary issues, or the vibrant tapestry of its people, these documentaries about Israel offer a nuanced perspective on a nation that continues to be a focal point of global attention.

On a personal note, I have spent several months in Israel over many different visits and have explored the region in general, including visits to the West Bank and Gaza. I have met many friendly Israelis and many friendly Palestinians when there.

It’s a fascinating and complex place to visit with so much history. Let’s hope peace in the region can be found. Somehow.

For more on the region have a look at the 10 best documentaries about Egypt .

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A Story About Israel // (Israel travel documentary)

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I spent 10 days traveling through Israel, both with my Israeli friends, and alone. From desert fortresses, to the many cultures that call Israel & its territories home, to geopolitics… I tried to learn as much as I could about this country and share it with you.

I spent a long time before, during and after my trip thinking about how I could be responsible in the story that I tell. Although it is imperfect, I’m proud of the result. I hope that my hard work shows through and that you enjoy! And if you do, please share the video with a friend.

➡️ ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Emily! 👋 Straight after college I left my native UK to build a life that I love, freelancing in Italy. Since then I’ve spent time in Portugal, settled in a new home in Belgium and visited many places in between.

Here I share stories about the cultures and people I meet, and I hope you’ll learn something new in the process!

➡️ FOLLOW MY JOURNEY

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➡️ WORK WITH ME I’m run a freelance video production business. I work with businesses and NGOs to tell their story through compelling video. My services range from monthly editing, to the producing your whole video project from start to finish. So if you think I could help your business, get in touch! hello [at] emilykaystoker.com

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Best Movies About Israel to Watch Before You Go

Movies can tell you a lot about a place. In this post, I’ll give you a list of some of the best movies about Israel, that I’ve watched and can recommend. You can watch them before you come to Israel, to get a better understanding of life here. The movies I’ve included talk about the Israeli holidays, Judaism, the army service, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. So… grab some popcorn and enjoy! 

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, including links from Amazon, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through the links, at no extra cost to you. These links help me keep the website alive and not depend on sponsors! I appreciate your support.

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Table of Contents

Movies about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The human factor.

Anyone interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should watch this movie. “The Human Factor” shows you the behind-the-scenes of the peace process efforts led by the Americans as mediators. I just couldn’t stop watching. The stories are gripping, and the footage is excellent. You get fascinating insights into leadership, diplomacy, and the story of Israel through the eyes of the conflict.

Get it on Amazon Prime

Watch the official trailer:

The Green Prince

Another movie to watch if you’re interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is The Green Prince, a documentary that tells the story of Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of one of the leaders of Hamas. Throughout the film, you’ll be able to hear through the voice of Mosab, who tells about his childhood in the West Bank, his arrest by the Israeli forces, and his longtime work as a spy for the Shin Bet. Mosab tells about Hamas and the leaders of the Palestinian people and shows how their interest in power and money have only harmed the Palestinian people. 

And to get an even better picture, I recommend reading Mosab’s autobiography, “Son of Hamas.” Read my book review of “Son of Hamas” here .

Image of Victory

One of the latest films that came out is “Image of Victory,” a thought-evoking and moving movie about the 1948 Independence War, focusing on the true story of a small kibbutz in southern Israel called Nitzanim. Most of the movie is told from the eyes of an Egyptian film director sent to document the battles in the Israeli territory, to bring back an “Image of Victory.”  But there’s another main character – Mira Ben-Ari. She was a real person who lived in Nitzanim and was the kibbutz’s signaller. I don’t want to spoil the movie, so I’ll just say that Mira was an incredible and courageous young woman. You can read Mira Ben-Ari’s true story here .

The movie shows the story a bit of the Arab-Israeli conflict and reminds us that there are human beings on both sides of the story. 

Watch the trailer: 

Movies about Israeli culture and life

Sukkot is one of the most important holidays in Judaism. On this holiday, the Jewish people build a sukkah, a temporary booth meant to commemorate the huts used by the Israelites while walking 40 years in the desert. Religious Jews eat and sleep in the sukkah for seven days. And one of the greatest deeds you can do during Sukkot is to host guests in the sukkah. Those guests are called “Ushpizin.”

This movie will offer you a peek into this special holiday, through the story of an ultra-Orthodox couple. The couple doesn’t have enough money to buy a sukkah but miraculously finds an abandoned one. So, they can properly celebrate the holiday. But the highlight of the movie is the Ushpizin who come to visit their sukkah – two escaped prisoners from the husband’s past. It’s entertaining and enriching! 

And if you want to learn more about Sukkot, read my post – 5 Ways to Celebrate Sukkot in Israel .

Watch the trailer:

Zero Motivation

“Zero Motivation” is one of the best movies about one of the most talked-about subjects in Israel – the army service. But unlike other army movies that focus on the men, this movie focuses on the women. It is told from a woman’s perspective. The young woman, who is the star of the movie, isn’t in the battlefield. She’s in the office, filing documents. That’s what many people – and mainly women – do in their army service in Israel. The movie shows the challenges of this type of army service.

It’s supposed to be a comedy movie, but if you don’t know Hebrew, you might not understand the jokes. Anyway, it’s a great movie to watch if you want to get a peek into the Israeli army service.  

The Women’s Balcony

The synagogue is the most important structure in Jewish life. It is more than just a praying house. It is the center of the community. When entering an Orthodox synagogue, you’ll always find a women’s balcony or a special space for women, because they are not allowed to pray together with the men.

“The Women’s Balcony” tells the story of a small modern Jewish community in Israel and focuses on the relationships between the men and the women. It starts with the collapse of the women’s balcony in the synagogue. The leader of the community gets into a coma, and all of a sudden they have no leader. Into this empty space enters a young Ultra-Orthodox man, who sweeps the men of the community after him and persuades them that the balcony collapsed because their women were not modest enough.

I recommend this movie because it gives you a peek into the conflicts inside the Jewish community itself. Some people are more religiously extreme than others.

And if you want to learn more about Jewish traditions and symbols, read my post – Judaism in Israel: 8 Questions You Might Ask.

Watch the official movie trailer:

A Borrowed Identity

I watched this movie when I was staying at a hotel somewhere, and really liked it. “A Borrowed Identity” is a drama movie, based on Sayed Kashua’s book, “Dancing Arabs.” It talks about the complicated life of an Arab boy living in Israel in the 1980s and the 1990s and the challenges he faces in becoming part of Israeli society.

It’s a rather sad movie showing how hard it is to connect Arab and Israeli societies. There’s always distrust and recoil, even today.   

Love watching movies?

There are many interesting movies about Israel. I chose to share the ones that I watched and loved most. If you want to recommend a good movie, you can do that in the comments below. I might add it to the list!  

Credit for head photo: Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay .

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9 Israeli Documentaries You Need to Watch

Discover israel's filmmaking renaissance with this list of compelling and diverse israeli documentaries.

The last decade has seen a swathe of engrossing documentaries emerge from Israel, placing the country’s film industry on the international map. Not only do these 9 documentaries make for great viewing, they also offer an insightful glimpse into the complexities of Israeli history and society.

Directed by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, this award-winning documentary explores the reality of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank , a territory it gained control over following 1967’s Six Day War. Probing beneath the surface of this occupation, Alexandrowicz interviews judges, lawyers and military generals who were directly involved in its handling. In doing so, he provides us with a stark and brutally honest depiction of this occupation and the dilemmas it poses.

A masterful and moving animated documentary-film written and directed by Ari Folman, Waltz With Bashir revolves around the massacre of Palestinians in a refugee camp during the 1982 war between Israel and Lebanon. Committed by a Christian militia, Folman attempts to reconstruct the events that led to this tragedy and assesses Israel’s blame for enabling it.

Fundamentally, Hilla Medalia’s documentary is about peace and coexistence . It follows ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine’s Dancing Classrooms program in Jaffa, Israel, an area with a mixed Arab and Jewish Israeli population. Focusing on three children of different faiths and backgrounds, this documentary shows the deep-rooted issues and barriers that exist in Israel and the power of the arts in bringing people together, presenting a blueprint for hope and a positive future.

Dror Moreh’s Oscar nominated documentary is based on interviews with six former leaders of Israel’s highly secretive counter terrorism intelligence agency, Shin Bet. With an unprecedented degree of openness – this was the first time they agreed to be interviewed – Moreh provides us with a gripping and thought-provoking account of Israel’s security situation since the 1967 war, from Palestinian suicide bombings to the assassination of Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an Israeli Jewish extremist.

In Defamation, Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir, with a touch of irreverence, tackles a sensitive and much discussed question ubiquitous in the Jewish world: what is anti-Semitism today? He meets with a diverse range of Jewish people, including leading figures in the American community, Israeli students visiting Auschwitz, his grandmother, and controversial historian Norman Finkelstein. The result is a provocative and insightful account of how Jews today define and relate to anti-Semitism.

Mosab Hassan Yousef’s father was one of Hamas’s founders. This remarkable documentary shows how he became an informant for a decade for Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet. Comprising of interviews between Yousef and his Israeli handler, Gonen Ben Yitzhak, Nadav Schirman’s portrayal of this real-life spy story makes for gripping viewing.

In Auschwitz, inmates were dehumanised; their names became numbers, permanently tattooed on their arms. In Numbered, directors Dana Doron and Uriel Sinai provide an intimate, highly poignant account of how Auschwitz survivors relate to their numbers now, and how they have impacted their lives and the lives of those around them.

Director Arnon Goldfinger is the grandson of Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. When clearing out his grandmother’s Tel Aviv flat after her death, he stumbles upon a scarcely believable discovery: she had been friends with a high-ranking Nazi official. Shocked and determined to find answers, Goldfinger travels to Germany to meet the Nazi’s daughter and historians, as he embarks on a personal journey to uncover his family’s past and suppressed secrets.

Tomer Heymann’s documentary film tells the story of a group of Filipino transvestites he befriended, who, rejected by their families, moved to Israel to work illegally. Their job? Caring for elderly, Orthodox Jewish men, and once a week, performing drag in a group called ‘Paper Dolls’ in Tel Aviv.

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Tomorrow’s Freedom review – does this man know the way to peace in Israel and Palestine?

Sombre documentary focuses on the former Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, and how he is becoming a Mandela-like figure since his imprisonment in 2002

H ere is a film that offers something not generally on offer in the media: an envisioning of the future and a road map, or part of a road map, out of the present situation in Israel and Palestine. It’s about Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti , an initial supporter of the 1993 and 1995 Oslo peace accords who became progressively disillusioned with the slow choreography of international consensus, and was ultimately imprisoned in 2002 for authorising deadly attacks on Israel. Barghouti’s position is not that he is innocent, but that an Israeli court has no right to try him.

During the long years since, he has gone on hunger strike, been beaten and abused in captivity; his grownup children have themselves been targeted and arrested and his wife Fadwa has been repeatedly refused permission to visit him. But the film shows that something else has been happening as well: the Mandela-isation of Barghouti, a process which the Israeli forces themselves may well come to see as convenient, when in some future time they need an internationally accepted figure with whom to negotiate.

It is precisely the injustice and judicial cruelty, and the decades-long accretion of international prestige and news value, that is grooming Barghouti for a future of political respectability. Placing a future leader in prison is a process of incubation, insulating them from the banal business of mistake-making and grubby deals and embarrassments that all active political leaders find piling up on their CVs. In his cell, Bargouthi is isolated from all this, although it doesn’t make the experience any less grim.

The comparison between Barghouthi and Mandela is something explicitly promoted by the former’s admirers, and this film indicates something that Mandela’s mainstream-centrist admirers might prefer to forget: Mandela believed in and espoused political violence as a possibility, long after his release. A clip here from a Mandela speech in Gaza in 1999 shows him saying: “Choose peace rather than confrontation, except in cases where we cannot move forward. Then, if the only alternative is violence, we will use violence.” In Britain, where Martin McGuinness finally had a meeting with the Queen, this is a paradox with its own resonance. A sombre film with a message of realpolitik.

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Follow our news, recent searches, israel intensifies air strikes on gaza's rafah before ground operation, advertisement.

A Palestinian kid inspects the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, April 25, 2024. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

CAIRO: Israel stepped up air strikes on Rafah overnight after saying it would evacuate civilians from the southern Gazan city and launch an all-out assault despite allies' warnings this could cause mass casualties. Medics in the besieged Palestinian enclave reported five Israeli air strikes on Rafah early on Thursday (Apr 25) that hit at least three houses, killing at least six people including a local journalist. "We are afraid of what will happen in Rafah. The level of alert is very high," Ibrahim Khraishi, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, told Reuters on Thursday. "Some are leaving, they are afraid for their families but where can they go? They are not being allowed to go to the north and so are confined to a very small area." The Gaza Strip is about 40km long and between about 5km and 12km wide and is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

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Bombing and bodies.

Meanwhile, a Palestinian civil defence team called on the United Nations to investigate what it said were war crimes at a Gaza hospital, saying nearly 400 bodies were recovered from mass graves after Israeli soldiers left the complex in Khan Younis . The Israeli military said allegations by Palestinian authorities that its forces had buried the bodies were "baseless and unfounded". In the north, Israeli forces continued to pound Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, Jabalia and Zeitoun, with some residents saying Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants were fighting Israeli ground forces with anti-tank rockets, mortar bombs and sniper fire. The Palestine Telecommunications Company said internet services had again been cut off in central and southern Gaza on Thursday, blaming Israeli military operations. Such outages have compounded the obstacles confronting efforts to get emergency aid to stricken civilians. An aid worker who was part of Belgium's development efforts in Gaza died in one Israeli strike, the Belgian government said on Thursday, adding it was summoning the Israeli ambassador over the incident.

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‘Israelism’: How deep do indoctrination and Israeli army glorification go?

Zimmerman and Axelman discuss their film, Israelism, challenging the merging of Jewish identity and Israeli nationalism.

The documentary Israelism examines the rift among Jews regarding Palestine, highlighting young people’s increasing criticism of Israel and Zionism.

This divide is driven by firsthand accounts of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

As the film faces opposition from groups trying to cancel its screenings, its main protagonist, Simone Zimmerman, and its co-director and producer, Erin Axelman, talk to Al Jazeera.

This photographer has documented Southern California’s street gang culture for 40 years

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On a rainy March evening, a group of roughly a hundred people huddled inside the Eastern Projects art gallery in Chinatown for the opening of “Un-Rehearsed,” the first solo show for photographer Merrick Morton, on display until May 18.

Adorning the walls of the space are more than 100 images spanning a 40-year trajectory— selections from his travels in Mexico and Cuba, and stills from various films where he worked as on-set photographer. The bulk of the art, however, focuses on a subject Morton has become deeply associated with: Southern California gang life.

Many of these stills also appear on “Clique: West Coast Portraits From the Hood, 1980-1996,” a glossy, 224-page monograph set to be released by independent publisher Hat & Beard Press later this spring.

One photograph features an older couple standing on the porch of their home as the lifeless body of a drive-by shooting victim lies on the sidewalk. Another shows a gang member from Barrio Logan Heights in San Diego awaiting treatment at an area hospital after being stabbed. Other prints showcase cliques of young Latino and Black men hanging out, or homegirls embracing each other.

Born in 1955 and raised in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley, the soft-spoken Morton says his interest in chronicling street life began after a visit with John M. Valadez , the L.A.-based realist muralist and painter who was instrumental in the 1970s Chicanx art movement.

“I’m thinking, ‘I have to photograph [them]’,” he said of the cholos and cholas featured in Valadez’s artwork.

Morton, who is white, did not have a direct connection to these communities. He began calling probation officers after learning from a friend that they could be his way in. “I told them I was working on a documentary photography essay on Los Angeles street gangs,” he recalled. Eventually, he was assigned to Gerald Ivory, who introduced him to his parolees, mainly members of the Maravilla gang in East L.A. In 1981, Morton began photographing them at the Obregon Park recreation center, where he had set up a portable studio.

Morton says he and Ivory would “hit the streets,” recording interviews with various gangs throughout the ‘80s. Their work “was never sanctioned by the L.A. County Probation Department,” he said.

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“My dad said this guy just showed up with a camera, wanting to document neighborhoods in L.A.,” said Breanna Quintero, who attended the show’s opening. Her father grew up in Carson and was photographed by Morton in the early ‘80s at Victoria Park.

“People have to realize that kids from the neighborhood, like my dad, didn’t have cameras because they couldn’t afford them. So, I’m thankful that Merrick got to photograph him; this is a piece of how I grew up,” added Quintero. “These pictures brought his stories to life.”

It didn’t take long for Morton to be known as “the guy” chronicling gang life, thanks in large part to his quiet demeanor and knowing when to not overstep.

“As an observer, I start on the outside and then wait until I’m granted access,” he said. “I’m not going aimlessly into somewhere trying to take over. I think to me, it’s about respect. If you show [it], they’ll respect you.”

In 1984, Morton began freelancing for L.A. Weekly, a gig that would change his life. His work at the alternative weekly caught the eye of Taylor Hackford and Luis Valdez, the producer and director-screenwriter of “La Bamba,” the iconic 1986 Chicanx film about the life and untimely death of musician Ritchie Valens.

“[Hackford] liked the work that I was shooting in Mexico at the time, outside of the gangs, so I was hired on that,” said Morton. “And for me, at the time, I was working at a camera store and not earning that much there.”

Since then, Morton has worked as on-set still photographer for more than 90 different films and television shows, including “Colors,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Fight Club,” and “Blood In Blood Out” — his work on this latter film is prominently featured in a book (also printed by Hat & Beard Press) that chronicles the making of the East Los Angeles cult classic.

Morton would distance himself from street photography in the late 1990s to work solely in the entertainment industry, only to pick it up again in 2017— he began posting his old work on Instagram, where he’s amassed nearly 70,000 followers. He says using the social media platform has allowed him to reconnect with some of his past subjects—or if they were no longer alive, with their loved ones — who have added context to his images.

One popular social media post shows two photographs of a mother and her child taken 40 years apart.

“I wouldn’t know about many of their stories without Instagram,” he says. “It’s surreal hearing about them.”

Morton intends to continue posting his work in hopes that it reaches people unfamiliar with gang life. “I am trying to provoke some type of dialogue,” he says.

“When I first went into these neighborhoods, I was instilled with this perception of violence,” Morton added. “But I quickly learned that [it’s] such a small part of these neighborhoods. It’s really all about family, culture and heritage. Hopefully, these are the stories that come out of it.”

When asked if anyone had expressed concern that his work exploited or glorified gang violence, Morton says that “it’s a fine line,” explaining that “sometimes the images are an avenue to start talking about how do we stop the killing or why are people killing each other.”

For Marcos Cazarin, who posed for Morton in 1986, the photographer’s work is not exploitative — it’s recordatory.

Cazarin, who was at the show opening, says the image of him posing with two friends in front of a mural of the crucifixion of Jesus is a reminder of the life he left behind— he’s in the middle in the image above, wearing the black tank top. The photograph also graces the cover of Morton’s book.

“I am a recovering addict,” he says. “Twenty-one years clean. It was a hard life for anyone growing up in that era. But I learned never to shut the backdoor. I always keep it open to remind myself where I don’t want to be again.”

— Sarah Quiñones Wolfson

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But wait, there’s more! In February, the team behind “Shape Your L.A.” added several new features, including making the tool available in Spanish for the more than 3 million voting-age Angelenos who speak the language. So, if you have a tío or an abuelita who wants to be civically engaged but doesn’t know where to turn to for information, make sure you share this link with them

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These Latina queens will be on Season 9 of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’

Drag race fans get excited!The cast of Season 9 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’” was announced Tuesday. Three Latina queens are among the eight contestants who will be vying for a chance to win $200,000 for the charity of their choice: Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, Jorgeous and Roxxxy Andrews. De Los reporters put together a quick primer so you could get to know these queens better ahead of the May 17 premiere.

She told TikTok she was lonely in L.A. What happened next changed her life

When reaching adulthood, fostering friendships can get difficult. That’s why Emmely Avila created Los Angeles Friends (LAF), a group that invites Angelenos to branch out and meet new people. Over a year ago, she took her expressed her feelings of loneliness and her wanting to expand her social circle to TikTok. Her video received more than a hundred comments of people feeling the same way. Avila took it upon herself to start hosting community events. Celebrating the community’s friendiversary, reporter Claire O’Callahan shares the full story behind the L.A.-based friend group.

Column: Melissa Barrera is not afraid

Last November, actress Melissa Barrera was fired from a role in the “Scream” franchise because of her social media posts she made in support of the Palestinian people.

“I did have opportunities taken away from me, but I always trusted God, trusted that everything was going to work out for me. I have angels that are looking out for me, and I knew I was going to be OK,” said Barrera, who spoke with De Los contributing columnist JP Brammer to promote her new horror film, “Abigail.”

AI-powered cameras installed on Metro buses to ticket illegally parked cars

By the end of 2024, Los Angeles Metro will implement AI-powered cameras on city buses in hopes of cracking down on cars illegally parked in bus lanes. If all goes well, Metro hopes these cameras will increase ridership and improve bus times.

Xochitl Gomez’s 5 favorite Latino-owned businesses in L.A.

Echo Park is the center of Xochitl Gomez’s Los Angeles. The 17-year-old actor and most recent winner of “Dancing With the Stars” shares her favorite spots in the northwest neighborhood in the latest installment of “Mi Los Angeles.” Whether you’re looking for a new coffee spot, bakery or even vintage furniture store, Gomez offers some guidance.

Meet the homeless L.A. immigrants who built a DIY home in gentrifying Highland Park

Alongside the Arroyo Seco flood channel in Highland Park, there is a small community of unhoused people who have built intricate makeshift homes. In conversation with some residents, Solis reports on the realities of being unhoused in Los Angeles.

Documentary filmmaker and social activist Lourdes Portillo dies at 80

Influential documentarian Lourdes Portillo passed away of cholangiocarcinoma, a kind of bile duct cancer, earlier this week. The Mexico native spent her life making documentaries that shed light on working-class struggles; some of her most notable works being “The Devil Never Sleeps” and “The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.” In celebration of her life and accomplishments, there’s no better time than now to watch her documentaries.

Where to eat and drink near Dodger Stadium before or after a game

Dodgers season is in full swing. Whether you’re stopping for a beer before the game or looking for some late-night tacos, assistant Food editor Danielle Dorsey has covered all the bases. Check out one of these spots next time you’re headed to the Elysian Park area.

From elsewhere

How do you get siblings to be nice to each other? Latino families have an answer

In its new series “The Science of Siblings,” NPR examines the relationship between siblings and their influences. In this episode, Michaeleen Doucleff explores research surrounding how parents can raise their children to care for and love their siblings. Looking at various cultures, she chose to closely follow a Latino family in Texas. Through the family’s anecdotes and pieces of advice, she reports on why and how Latino siblings and families are more likely to be amicable and happy.

Biden steps up Latino outreach as warning signs flash

Over the past month, the Biden campaign has put a significant emphasis on reaching Latinx voters. Politico has compiled this list of Biden’s efforts with this sought-after electorate.

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John Fetterman, Fervent Israel Backer, Has Never Actually Been

By Pablo Manríquez

Images of Hamas hostages wallpaper the front room of John Fetterman ’s office on Capitol Hill. Their faces peer down at two front desk staffers as protesters show up on a near-weekly basis, demanding explanations for the senator’s immutable support for Israel’s ongoing war against Gaza. Fetterman, of course, isn’t interested in hearing from them, so all his junior aides can offer are Peeps marshmallows manufactured in Pennsylvania and bottled water.

“The most important thing is we must stand with Israel and with Ukraine,” Fetterman told me in December, after the White House requested emergency foreign aid for the two nations as well as for Taiwan.

The Pennsylvania Democrat has made unconditional support for Israel a central pillar of his political identity since the October 7 Hamas massacre, in which 1,139 people were killed, and, in response, the Israeli Defense Forces invaded Gaza on October 27—kicking off an ongoing military campaign that has to date killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. However, none of the current or former Fetterman aides who spoke with Vanity Fair for this story could pinpoint exactly why the junior senator has remained unflinching in his views, despite calls from the left to stand down and waning support among young voters.

Fetterman has received $244,100 from pro-Israel groups over the years, according to data from OpenSecrets , while The Times of Israel has called him “far-and-away…the most vocally pro-Israel Democrat in the Senate since October 7.” But as much as he embraces the role, what’s even more curious is that, according to staffers, Fetterman has never actually visited Israel, one of the most common travel destinations for members of Congress on official business.

The process is “pretty easy,” according to Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who has traveled to Israel for years on official Senate business. “You go to DOD,” he said, referring to the Department of Defense. “If anybody needs any help, they’ll be glad to help.” A Senate Armed Services Committee member told me there are essentially two ways lawmakers can travel to Israel—official “CODELs” (congressional member delegations) and visits sponsored by interest groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). According to this senator, Graham sometimes takes commercial flights to Israel accompanied by as few as a single military escort for security. For official travel, the senator said “a freshman like Fetterman” could go to Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer or any committee chair about joining a CODEL or a privately sponsored trip. Schumer wouldn’t say when asked what his members must do to visit Israel. “You’ll have to ask them,” he replied.

When I asked Fetterman in early April if he planned to visit Israel, he shot back, “I don’t know.” However, a source familiar with the congressman’s travel itinerary said he is scheduled to attend an AIPAC-sponsored trip in May. ( Marshall Wittmann, a spokesperson for AIPAC, declined to comment on the trip.)

Fetterman has likened the partisan brawling in the House to The Jerry Springer Show. He told me in late February that national credit defaults, government shutdowns, and failure to fund military allies should never be on the table in congressional negotiations. “It’s governance,” he said. “It’s not entertainment.” He considers himself a loyal Democrat, but has recently openly criticized his party’s leaders on their Israel policy. “In this war against Hamas—no conditions for Israel,” the senator posted to X on April 4, explicitly clapping back at President Joe Biden, who, during a call with Benjamin Netanyahu after an Israeli army airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen workers, reportedly threatened to condition future military aid on addressing concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza. In March, Schumer, ostensibly Fetterman’s boss in the Senate, called for elections in Israel. At the time, Fetterman indicated to Jewish Insider that he mostly agreed with Schumer on Israel policy, but told Axios that calling for an election that would almost certainly oust Netanyahu from power was a bridge too far. “I would demand that there be no foreign influence on our elections, so I’m not in that,” he said.

One ex-aide said Fetterman’s “utter lack of any empathy for the Palestinians being slaughtered” made morale among his staffers plummet last year. By the end of March, four members of Fetterman’s communications team had quit, though not in tandem. “He loves attention and he loves Israel, so this is a perfect combination,” said another ex-staffer. At least three of the senator’s former press aides now work for employers who have been critical of Israel, which the senator has avoided doing, even as a growing chorus of global voices accuse the Israeli army of committing genocide in Gaza. Press aide Emma Mustion left to work for Senator Bob Casey, Pennsylvania’s senior senator who told voters last month that “Israel can do more” about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, according to the Washington Examiner . Nick Gavio, Fetterman’s former deputy communications director, left for the Working Families Party, which runs an online tracker of members of Congress calling for a ceasefire, a position Fetterman has consistently opposed. According to Fetterman’s office, a fourth communications aide— Alana Guzman, the senator’s digital and creative director—also quit last month to go to grad school.

Then there’s Joe Calvello, who worked for three years as Fetterman’s communications chief before leaving in March to work as chief strategy officer for Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson. “Calling for peace is not vengeance. Calling for peace is righteousness,” Johnson said at an Eid al-Fitr event with Chicago-area Muslims, where he was presented with an award for casting the tie-breaking vote to pass a ceasefire resolution through the city council. Gavio and Calvello worked on Bernie Sanders ’s 2020 presidential run before joining Fetterman’s campaign in 2021. Calvello was Fetterman’s first staff hire in the Senate after the then lieutenant governor beat Republican television grifter Mehmet Oz in a nail-biter election for Republican Pat Toomey ’s seat, giving Senate Democrats a one-seat majority. In the year after Fetterman was sworn in on January 3, 2023, Calvello and chief of staff Adam Jentleson, formerly a senior aide to ex-Senate majority leader Harry Reid, were fixtures alongside Fetterman on Capitol Hill. They kept the public abreast of his recovery when Fetterman was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment for chronic depression following the stroke he suffered on the campaign trail, and pushed back against institutional naysayers when Fetterman bucked Senate tradition by wearing hoodies and gym shorts to work around the Capitol complex.

But then, in January 2024, Fetterman abruptly ditched the entourage of aides who had accompanied him through the halls of his first year in the Senate, an unusual move for any member of Congress, but particularly one who is so vocal and recognizable. Carrie Adams, a former public policy staffer at Meta who has worked for Schumer and former House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi , replaced Calvello as Fetterman's communications chief in April. And the self-described “ogre” has since roamed the tunnels alone.

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Israelis Prepare to Mark Passover, a Festival of Freedom, With Hostages Still in Gaza

Many Jews say they will adapt their Passover rituals around the Seder table this year to fit the somber mood of a country at war.

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By Isabel Kershner

reporting from Jerusalem

• April 22, 2024

Many Israelis were in a somber mood on Monday as they prepared to usher in Passover, the Jewish festival of freedom, saying they would mark the holiday rather than celebrate it, with more than 130 hostages remaining in Gaza.

The number of hostages believed to be alive is unclear, and with negotiations with Hamas captors at an impasse, there is little prospect of their imminent release.

The holiday is to start after sundown on Monday with the traditional Seder meal. By tradition, this is a joyful gathering of family and friends who follow a ritual order of blessings over symbolic foods as they retell the biblical story of the bondage and suffering of the ancient Israelites in Egypt and their exodus and liberation.

Israelis are still jittery after an exchange of fire with Iran this month, the first time Tehran had directly attacked Israel from Iranian territory. And the country continues to mourn the roughly 1,200 people the Israeli authorities say were killed in the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, which prompted six months of deadly fighting in Gaza so far. More than 250 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s ground invasion in late October, the military says. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza health officials.

Daily tit-for-tat attacks over the northern border with Lebanon have turned a portion of Israel into a no-go zone . Tens of thousands of residents of northern and southern Israel remain in temporary accommodations, having been evacuated from their homes.

“We will mark the Seder night for the children,” said Irit Feingold, 35, a pedagogic instructor for preschoolers who was attending a rally for the hostages in Jerusalem on Saturday night, and was planning to spend Monday night with about 25 members of her extended family.

“We will talk about leadership, freedom and staying free, and everybody can share what they feel,” she said.

Many families like Ms. Feingold’s have been holding emotionally charged conversations about how to commemorate the holiday, with some saying they preferred not to conduct a Seder at all.

“Every festival is another milestone showing how we aren’t whole,” Ms. Feingold said, adding that it was imperative to resist sliding back into normalcy and routine. Her husband, a soldier in the reserves, is to return to Gaza after the holiday.

The organization representing most of the families of the hostages is urging families to place an empty chair at their table with a portrait of a hostage or a yellow ribbon. Traditionally, Jews leave an empty chair at the Seder for Elijah, the biblical prophet revered as the harbinger of hope and redemption.

“All of the symbolic things we do at the Seder will take on a much more profound and deep meaning this year,” said Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, a dual citizen of Israel and the United States, was taken captive into Gaza after his arm was blown off during an assault on a roadside bomb shelter . He had taken refuge there after fleeing the Tribe of Nova music festival.

Mentioning the salt water that is part of the Seder ritual to represent the tears of the Israelites while they were in bondage in Egypt, Ms. Goldberg-Polin told reporters she would be participating in a Seder with close friends and family, “and they have been very clear that if 15 minutes in we just can’t do it, and we need to cry, then we will cry.”

Hundreds of survivors from Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the border villages that was attacked on Oct. 7, were planning to hold a communal Seder in a Tel Aviv square that has become a focal point for the campaign to free the hostages.

A quarter of the residents of another border village, Nir Oz, were either killed or kidnapped. Avner Goren, a son of founders of the communal village, wrote a poem comparing the Israeli people to a fruit salad — some sour, some sweet — to celebrate the country’s multicultural mix for a version of the Haggadah that Nir Oz produced in the late 1990s.

Mr. Goren was killed on Oct. 7. His wife, Maya Goren, was kidnapped and taken to Gaza and has been declared dead. Addressing the rally in Jerusalem on Saturday night, Rabbi Binyamin Lau said he intended to sit at the Seder table with his family, an empty chair with a picture of his friend Alex Dancyg, a Holocaust expert from Nir Oz who remains a hostage, and a fruit salad.

Rabbi Lau, himself the son of a Holocaust survivor, said, “We are a people that tells a story at any time, under any conditions.”

Myra Noveck contributed reporting from Jerusalem, and Gabby Sobelman from Rehovot, Israel.

Isabel Kershner , a Times correspondent in Jerusalem, has been reporting on Israeli and Palestinian affairs since 1990. More about Isabel Kershner

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

The tents that failed to keep out the cold when many Gazans first fled their homes have now become suffocating as highs surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Here’s how the heat is exacerbating already dire problems  from Israel’s war in Gaza.

Israel welcomed a U.S. aid package signed by President Biden that will send about $15 billion in military aid to Israel, increasing American support  for its closest Middle East ally despite strains in their relationship over Israel’s prosecution of the war in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations’ human rights office called for an independent investigation into two mass graves  found after Israeli forces withdrew from hospitals in Gaza, including one discovered days ago over which Israeli and Palestinian authorities offered differing accounts.

After weeks of delays, negotiations and distractions, Israel appeared to hint that its assault of Rafah  — a city teeming with more than a million displaced persons above ground and riddled with Hamas tunnels below — was all but inevitable. Here’s how it might unfold .

Mourning Nearly 200 Relatives: Adam and Ola Abo Sheriah absorb a loss few can imagine, and scramble to help surviving family members  in Gaza while trying to get their kids to their New Jersey school on time.

A Generational Clash on Seder: At Passover Seders, many families addressed the war in Gaza , leading to rising tensions, while 200 New Yorkers from pro-Palestinian Jewish groups were arrested after rallying  near Chuck Schumer’s home to protest aid to Israel.

PEN America’s Fallout: The free expression group PEN America has canceled its 2024 literary awards ceremony following months of escalating protests over the organization’s response to the war in Gaza , which has been criticized as overly sympathetic to Israel.

Fears Over Iran Buoy Netanyahu: The Israeli prime minister lost considerable support after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. Tensions with Iran have helped him claw  some of it back.

• Entertainment
• TV/Streaming
• What to stream in May 2024: ‘Doctor Who,’ ‘Dark Matter,’ ‘Unfrosted’

Now Streaming

Here’s what’s coming to Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount+ and other streaming services in May.

Jeff Daniels is “A Man in Full” (Netflix, May 2), an Atlanta real estate mogul who finds himself on the verge of losing his business and his status, in the limited series adapted from the novel by Tom Wolfe. Producer David E. Kelly scripts the entire series, and Diane Lane, William Jackson Harper and Bill Camp co-star.

“Shardlake” (Hulu, May 1), a limited series based on the novel by C.J. Sansom, stars Arthur Hughes as a lawyer sent by Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean) to investigate the murder of a commissioner at a remote monastery in 16th-century England. It’s a medieval murder mystery!

The limited series “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” (Peacock, May 2), inspired by the real-life story of two Jewish Holocaust survivors, stars Harvey Keitel as an aging widower who, 60 years after he was liberated from Auschwitz, tells his story to a novice writer (Melanie Lynskey).

Jerry Seinfeld directs and stars in “Unfrosted” (Netflix, May 3), a comic (and freely adapted) take on the cutthroat race between cereal rivals Kellogg’s and Post Cereal to create the first instant breakfast pastry: the Pop-Tart. Melissa McCarthy, Hugh Grant and Amy Schumer co-star.

A physicist and family man (Joel Edgerton) is abducted and pulled into an alternate reality and fights to find his way back home in the science fiction thriller “Dark Matter” (Apple TV+, May 8). Based on the bestselling novel by Blake Crouch, the limited series co-stars Jennifer Connelly and Alice Braga.

Ncuti Gatwa is the 15th Doctor in the new season of “Doctor Who” (Disney+, May 10), under the creative guidance of Russell T. Davies, returning to the series he reinvented for the 21st century.

Jennifer Lopez heads into deep space to capture a renegade robot in “Atlas” (Netflix, May 24). The science fiction thriller co-stars Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Lana Parrilla and Mark Strong.

Brooke Shields is “Mother of the Bride” (May 9) in the new romantic comedy.

“Bodkin: Season 1” (May 9), a comic take on the true-crime genre, stars Will Forte as a podcaster chasing a story in a small Irish town.

The limited series “Eric” (May 30) stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a puppeteer for a children’s TV show who spirals into guilt and delusion after his son goes missing.

The third season of the hit romantic drama “Bridgerton” (May 16) takes on the romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton).

International passport: “Beautiful Rebel” (May 2) dramatizes the life of Italian rock icon Gianna Nannini, and the animated fantasy “My Oni Girl” (May 24) arrives from Japan.

In “Turtles All the Way Down” (May 2), a teenager (Isabela Merced) struggling with OCD gets involved with the disappearance of a reclusive billionaire.

Zac Efron stars in “The Iron Claw” (May 10), based on the tragic true story of the Von Erich wrestling family in the 1980s.

The new spinoff series “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School” (May 9) stars Bailee Madison and Chandler Kinney.

The musical comedy “Home Sweet Rome!: Season 1” (May 16) sends a California teenager (Kensington Tallman) to Italy with her dad and Italian pop sensation stepmom.

“The Killing Kind: Season 1” (May 14), based on Jane Casey’s bestselling book of the same name, is a thriller starring Emma Appleton as a brilliant barrister and Colin Morgan as a manipulative client.

International passport: Mads Mikkelsen stars in the award-winning historical drama “The Promised Land” (May 30) from Denmark.

The documentary “The Contestant” (May 2) chronicles the bizarre reality show that became a phenomenon in Japan, and “Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country” (May 29) profiles the country-music sensation.

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Prime Video

The reality series “The GOAT” (May 9) pits reality TV celebrities in competition for the title of “Greatest of All Time.”

“Star Wars: Tales of the Empire” (May 4) is a new animated series in the franchise.

Unavailable in any form for decades, the original 1970 Beatles documentary “Let It Be” (May 8) has been restored and remastered by Peter Jackson. Also arriving are the new documentaries “The Beach Boys” (May 24) and “Jim Henson: Idea Man” (May 31).

André Holland headlines the limited series “The Big Cigar” (May 17), a caper inspired by a true story surrounding Black Panther founder Huey P. Newton.

The documentary “Kiss the Future” (May 7) looks at how an underground community in Sarajevo used art and music to affect change during the Bosnian war.

Also debuting are Season Five of “The Chi” (May 10) and the third and final season of “Evil” (May 23).

The road movie comedy “Drive-Away Dolls” (now streaming) from Ethan Coen stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan as best friends pursued by criminals.

Other services

Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel star in the epicurean drama “The Taste of Things” (AMC+ and Acorn TV, May 10), which was France’s entry at the Academy Awards.

From Australia comes the crime thriller “Scrubland” (Sundance Now, May 2), and the courtroom drama “The Truth” (AMC+, May 27) arrives from Israel.

The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.