When it was founded in 1948, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – also known as Tzahal – were intended to be a moral and resilient force, dedicated to founding and protecting a new country. In the space of half a century, it has risen to the forefront of technology, boasting an ultra-sophisticated defense system. Gradually, it has become an army of control and occupation, with methods that are increasingly contested in Israel and around the world.
Through images taken in the field and a series of interviews with military personnel and experts, this documentary offers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at Tzahal, revealing its recruitment process, technological capabilities and methods, as well as its internal tensions. By combining archive footage with current events, we retrace the history of the IDF: from its earliest operations and landmark wars (the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the Lebanon War, etc.) to the most recent confrontations in the Gaza Strip. We'll try to pinpoint the shifts that led it to the wrong side of history.
Our investigation will also take us beyond the battlefields. For, far more than just an army, the Tzahal is still a civilian laboratory, an inescapable and omnipresent institution that has shaped Israel's society, economy and national identity.
At the heart of a furious war, drawing ever stronger criticism at home, and now ostracized by the international community, will the IDF ever be able to reconcile its past ideals with its present actions?
Direction: Damien Fleurette
Production: Hikari for ARTE G.E.I.E.
Delivery: March 2025