On the evening of September 29, 2025, the Emmy Award-winning show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver aired a segment that has since sparked intense debate and reflection. The focus? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—his two-decade reign, his controversial policies, and the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But the episode didn’t just stop at politics; it also shone a spotlight on a documentary Netanyahu tried, and failed, to keep from public view: The Bibi Files.
Oliver, never one to shy away from tough topics, opened with a quip about “forced monkey labor” before quickly pivoting to the Middle East. The gravity of the situation was unmistakable. “Just this year, he’s continued to preside over the longest and deadliest war in Israel’s history, he’s starved Gaza, bombed Iran and carried out airstrikes in Qatar, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon,” Oliver said, referencing Netanyahu’s recent military actions. The host, known for using humor to highlight serious issues, didn’t mince words as he described the Israeli leader’s approach: “It seems like someone gave him a ‘Rise & Grind’ coffee mug, and he took it sociopathically literally.”
The statistics are staggering. According to Oliver, “It is impossible to overstate the death and suffering Netanyahu’s decisions have caused. To the over 65,000 Palestinians who are dead, the thousands of children who are amputees, and the thousands more who are starving, but also to the Israeli hostages who’ve either died or are still being held because of his refusal to prioritize their safety and freedom.” These figures, cited from the show and supported by reports from the UN and humanitarian organizations, paint a bleak picture of the ongoing conflict’s toll.
Netanyahu’s popularity has plummeted both at home and abroad. As Last Week Tonight outlined, his “increasingly unfavorable” ratings in Israel and the U.S. reflect growing disillusionment with his leadership. Much of this discontent centers on his alliances with far-right figures in his government, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Smotrich’s chilling assertion that “it may be just and moral” to starve two million Gazans was highlighted as emblematic of the administration’s hardline stance.
But the episode did more than recount recent headlines—it delved into the roots of Netanyahu’s grip on power. The 2024 documentary The Bibi Files, directed by Alexis Bloom and produced by Oscar-winner Alex Gibney, became a focal point. The film, which Netanyahu attempted to ban, uses leaked police interrogation footage to expose the corruption allegations that have dogged the prime minister for years. Despite Netanyahu’s efforts to block its release through the courts, a Jerusalem judge rejected his suit, and the film went on to premiere at Doc NYC in November 2024. It has since won the 2025 Political Film of the Year at the Cinema For Peace Awards and is now available on platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV.
The Bibi Files is not just a chronicle of one man’s legal troubles. The documentary draws a direct line between Netanyahu’s alleged corruption and the broader Middle Eastern crisis. Through interviews, archival footage, and never-before-seen tapes of Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and his son Yair, the film illustrates how personal greed and political ambition have had devastating consequences. One particularly damning moment comes from billionaire Arnon Milchan, who, when questioned about his extravagant gifts to Netanyahu, confessed, “All of Bibi’s friends are rich. What can I say? If this comes out I’m dead.”
The documentary’s portrayal of Sara Netanyahu is especially striking. Described as volatile and demanding, she is shown in interrogation footage lashing out at investigators: “Your evidence is utter and complete bullshit. Bye!” Her influence over her husband, and her central role in the corruption scandal, add another layer to the saga. Meanwhile, Yair Netanyahu’s far-right views are presented as even more extreme than his father’s, painting a portrait of a family deeply enmeshed in controversy.
Perhaps the most unsettling revelation in The Bibi Files is the argument that Netanyahu has deliberately prolonged the war in Gaza to avoid facing imprisonment on corruption charges. As the film asserts, “A forever war is beneficial for Netanyahu,” suggesting that ongoing conflict serves as a shield against legal accountability. The documentary also presents evidence that Netanyahu enabled Hamas to receive funding via Qatar, believing he could control the group and maintain instability for political gain. As one interviewee in the film put it, “He did not create Hamas, but he fed it.” This strategy, the film argues, ultimately backfired, leading to greater violence and suffering for both Palestinians and Israelis.
The humanitarian cost of these policies is immense. In late August 2025, the World Health Organization reported that more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine conditions, facing widespread starvation and preventable deaths. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has gone so far as to conclude that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, urging all states to fulfill their legal obligations under international law. Doctors Without Borders, citing extreme danger to its staff from the Israeli military, has suspended its operations in the region.
The documentary’s impact has been felt far beyond film circles. Despite being banned in Israel due to privacy laws, The Bibi Files has been widely pirated and discussed, fueling public debate about Netanyahu’s legacy and the future of Israeli democracy. In a poignant moment, the film features Gili Schwartz, a survivor of the Kibbutz Be’eri attack, who calls for truth and reconciliation. She notes that many families of Israeli hostages fear speaking out against Netanyahu, worried that criticism could jeopardize their loved ones’ chances of rescue. Yet, Schwartz’s testimony offers a rare glimmer of hope, showing that even amid tragedy, voices of compassion and reason persist.
In the final analysis, both Last Week Tonight and The Bibi Files make clear that Netanyahu’s actions have far-reaching consequences. As Oliver asked, “Is it the people of Israel, who’ve been put at risk by endless war? Or is it the man who’s spent 17 years as prime minister and seems willing to do whatever it takes to squeeze out a few more?” The answer, for many, remains painfully uncertain. But one thing is clear: the world is watching, and the demand for accountability has never been louder.
