While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is widely recognized as an important figure in global politics, his life story and vast influence on populist movements around the world aren’t often covered by the U.S media. In King Bibi, however, director Dan Shadur sheds light on the tumultuous rise and potential fall of Netanyahu, emphasizing his persistent vilification of the press and ability to rally his core. Featuring several Trump appearances and the parallels between their political approach, Shadur shows the importance and consequences of the fierce tactics of a leader such as Netanyahu.
Trump is featured in the film and seems to have endless similarities with Netanyahu regarding their media and rhetorical tactics. What do you think should be some key takeaways for a U.S. audience about the rise of Netanyahu and how it relates to the rise of Trump?
King Bibi shows Netanyahu as a pioneer when it comes to contemporary populism. Israeli mainstream media was surprised when Netanyahu first took power in 1996, since the exit polls suggested otherwise. I think there was a very deep sense of resentment and contempt towards Netanyahu and his voters, and this attitude prevented large sections of the media and the left from seeing what is actually going on. It is exactly what happened later with Brexit and the election of Donald Trump.