The San Francisco Chronicle consistently reproaches Israel, often by reprinting the misguided, syndicated columns by Thomas Friedman or Joel Brinkley.

A review on the front page of its Datebook section (Feb. 22), titled “Israeli spy chiefs admit misgivings,” praises the Israeli documentary “The Gatekeepers,” directed by Dror Moreh, a self-proclaimed member of the Israeli left. Eagerly anticipating its release, the Chronicle ran a lengthy interview with Moreh only two weeks earlier.

The Datebook reviewer noted approvingly that the views expressed by these retired members of Israel’s security apparatus “place them decidedly to the left,” and, he gushed, “we can only wonder if their words will have an influence.”

The film actually demonstrates a syndrome quite common in Western-style democracies: Retired officials lose their gumption and become dovish. As one of the interviewees sheepishly admitted, after retirement one tends to become somewhat of a leftist.

Those best able to judge the proper political and military strategy of Israel are those living there, and they have again elected Benjamin Netanyahu.

Stephen Karetzky  |  San Francisco