Norwegian Film Festival bans Israeli documentary
Australia’s B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) has denounced the decision by the directors of the Oslo Human Rights, Human Wrongs festival to ban the film The Other Dreamers, by Israeli director Roy Zafrani which deals with the subject of disabled children in Israel.
Dvir Abramovich
According to festival founder, Ketil Magnussen, the film was rejected because, “We support the academic and cultural boycott of Israel, so unless the films are about the illegal occupation, or deal with the occupation or the blockade of Gaza, or otherwise about the discrimination of Palestinians, we can’t show them.”
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“Shame on the Oslo Human Rights, Human Wrongs festival. It is a disgrace that any creative forum would glorify bigotry and racism. This obscene and vicious decision once again exposes the moral bankruptcy of the sinister BDS movement which is hell-bent on delegitimizing, excluding and demonising anyone who is Jewish or who shows any measure of support or affection for Israel. Those who believes in artistic freedom would be sickened by this act and by the reality that Jews, wherever they are from, are singled out, vilified and blacklisted. Such hateful and hypocritical behaviour cannot stand and should be soundly condemned. We call on the Norwegian government to demand the festival jettison its anti-Israel boycott and political intimidation of Israeli artists or risk losing the financial support it receives. It is our hope that ultimately, the Oslo Human Rights, Human Wrongs festival realises how abhorrent and wrong their stance is and follows the example of the reggae festival in Spain by issuing an apology and reinviting Zafrani to screen his film.”
We should in turn not have anything to do with the racist Jew hating Norwegian products, man or man made.
I am not surprised at this boycott. Norway is known to be very strongly antisemitic,anti-Israel country. On my recent trip to Europe I was told by a non Jewish friend living in Switzerland: ” If you want to go to Norway , forget it – they hate the Jews there”
I followed his advice.Who wants to associate with arrogant and hateful people, I also would not sell them advanced Israeli scientific products.
Israel can afford this relatively small loss.
Such a shameful and hypocritical stance for this Festival to take. The arts in many forms play such a special role in making possible understanding and empathy – that’s where hope lies for any kind of progress. To boycott or ban film, music, theatre or any other artistic offering is to boycott hope. The same is true of academic sharing. These Norwegians are ignorant fools.