The Human Factor

    The Human Factor
    2021

    Synopsis

    How US politicians and diplomats, over the past 25 years, have come close to achieving something almost impossible: securing peace between the State of Israel and its Arab and like-minded neighbors, mired in a struggle both dialectical and violent since the early 20th century, due to historical and religious reasons, entrenched offenses and prejudices, and the invisible and tyrannical hand of third countries' geopolitical interests in the area.

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    Cast

    • Dennis RossSelf - Negotiator
    • Martin IndykSelf - Negotiator
    • Gamal HelalSelf - Negotiator
    • Aaron MillerSelf - Negotiator
    • Daniel KurtzerSelf - Negotiator
    • Robert MalleySelf - Negotiator

    Recommendations

    • 100

      Washington Post

      As the title of the film suggests, it tells a story involving as much human drama as geopolitical maneuvering. It’s a story of personalities and, at times, the fragile male ego.
    • 90

      Wall Street Journal

      It’s surely the most spellbinding documentary ever made about the mediation process.
    • 88

      RogerEbert.com

      The Human Factor is as much about modern day America as it about Israel and Palestine, and how much we have to lose when we give into the easy temptation of demonizing those who think differently—even if it’s as a result of listening to Tucker Carlson.
    • 80

      The Hollywood Reporter

      Sedentary at these encounters may be, they are also frequently riveting and invariably fascinating, as they provide first-hand accounts and insider insights of the sort infrequently heard. These almost invariably underline the significance of the film's title in the scheme of diplomacy and rewardingly reveal the hopes and regrets that come with the territory.
    • 80

      Los Angeles Times

      An engrossing peek inside the Mideast peace talks during the Clinton administration.
    • 75

      IndieWire

      Much of the world views the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a fixed problem with no end in sight. Few can explain why, but “The Human Factor” finds those who can. With the white-knuckle intensity of a first-rate political thriller, Israeli filmmaker Dror Moreh’s engrossing documentary tracks glacial efforts to broker a peace deal over the past three decades.
    • 75

      New Orleans Times-Picayune

      From the blow-by-blow ticktock of the efforts of Secretary of State James Baker during Bush the elder’s administration to Bill Clinton’s failed Camp David summit, they push The Human Factor into surprisingly suspenseful territory, even if we all know how it ends.
    • 75

      San Francisco Chronicle

      If nothing else, The Human Factor demonstrates the tall task that awaits President Biden’s secretary of state, Antony Blinken. Good luck.