An Israeli documentary profiling past heads of the Jewish intelligence agency has been awarded a prestigious American prize. The National Society of Film Critics named “The Gatekeepers” its best nonfiction film for 2012 over the weekend. The documentary includes interviews with all six living past chiefs of Israel’s Shin Bet agency: Yuval Diskin, Avi Dichter, Ami Ayalon, Ya'acov Peri, Carmi Gillon and Avraham Shalom. The film was directed by Dror Moreh and also made it onto the shortlist at …More

The debate over an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities has heated up in recent weeks, with several current and former Israeli security chiefs coming out against an attack. Here are some of the debate's most prominent figures, plus what President Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, think of the idea. Benjamin Netanyahu Position and credentials: Prime minister of Israel and the most important person in the decision on whether to strike Iran. A security hawk, Netanyahu has made combating …More

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are engaged in a back and forth, with the two politicos exchanging harsh criticisms this week via public statements and interviews. The impetus occurred over the weekend, when ex-Mossad head Meir Dagan and ex-Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin vocally criticized Barak’s stance on the Iranian nuclear program. Both Barak and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are pushing for a military strike to stop the Islamic republic’s acquisition of a …More