Israel Defense Forces: A State Within a State

S01E01 Much more than an army, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – or Tzahal - are an ever-present, inescapable part of life for Israelis, and a potent factor in Israel’s relationship with the rest of the world. The entity defines itself as a moral force created to defend a new country and it claims to represent the very idealism that founded this country. But this beacon of hope has now become an oppressive occupation by using methods rejected by Israelis and most of the world. By bringing together field footage, interviews with soldiers and experts, archival and contemporary images, the film reveals how IDF became what it is today by understanding the spirit with which it was created – and the changes that have moved it to the wrong side of history.