Leaked Police Interrogation Footage of Netanyahu, and How He Cowers Behind War to Keep Power

Alex Gibney discusses his documentary, produced with director Alexis Bloom, which draws on over 1,000 hours of leaked Israeli police interrogation footage from the corruption investigation into Benjamin Netanyahu. The tapes, obtained anonymously via Signal in 2023, capture Netanyahu, his wife Sarah, son Yair, and associates like Arnon Milchan, Nir Hefetz, and Miriam Adelson, offering a raw view behind the prime minister's statesman image.

Corruption Charges at the Center

The investigation, ongoing since 2016, accuses Netanyahu of trading his position for personal benefits and favorable media coverage on the Walla news site, owned by Bezeq. Small favors included expensive Cuban cigars and jewelry for his wife from Milchan, a film producer and arms dealer; larger ones involved $250 million in loan forgiveness. In the tapes, Netanyahu appears evasive and lying to protect himself, while Sarah asserts entitlement due to their national service, and Yair rants against police like the Stasi. Gibney describes this as revealing a petty, corrupt character marked by arrogance after Netanyahu's 2015 election victory, escalating from personal perks—coded as "pink champagne"—to broader influence-peddling.