Documentary on Israel's Democratic Struggles Airs Ahead of Legislative Vote
A new France 5 documentary follows filmmaker Lucas Menget as he records Israeli activists warning that the country's democracy is under severe threat.
Veteran documentary maker Lucas Menget, known for his extensive work across the Middle East, produced a new film that aired on France 5 just days before Israel’s upcoming legislative elections. The film captures his encounters with Israelis who actively support democratic principles and envision a shared future with Palestinians. In May, Menget met a small cohort of older activists on Tel-Aviv’s shoreline while they filmed a video for online platforms.
The session was interrupted by a stranger who loudly condemned Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions regarding Gaza. The documentary also features historian and diplomat Elie Barnavi, who asserts that Israel remains the only democracy in the Middle East but warns that it faces an existential crisis. The program aims to spotlight those observing the erosion of democratic foundations without taking a partisan stance.
Why it matters
The film highlights internal Israeli concerns about democratic erosion just before a pivotal election.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps describe the new documentary on Israel’s democracy, but left-leaning coverage highlights activists championing democratic values and a shared future with Palestinians, while centrist coverage stresses citizens’ anxiety about extremism, power drift and the fear of civil war.
LEFT
Frames the film as spotlighting Israelis who actively support democratic principles and envision coexistence with Palestinians, underscoring an existential democratic crisis.
CENTER
Frames the film as an examination of Israeli society rattled by extremism and power drift, emphasizing citizens’ fear of a looming civil war.
The left emphasises
- Israeli activists who support democratic principles and envision a shared future with Palestinians
- historian Elie Barnavi’s claim that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East but faces an existential crisis
In this story
