IDF checkpoint in West Bank
Photo: AP
Palestinian soap opera depicts daily life under occupation
First Palestinian made soap opera to debut on first day of Ramadan; faces competition from other shows
Day to day life in the Palestinian Authority from a comedic point of view and an unavoidable love story are just some of the plot elements of 'Matabb' (speed bump in Arabic), a Palestinian soap opera set to debut on Monday, the first day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
The first Palestinian soap opera will comprise of 10 episodes, each 26 minutes long, and will be broadcast at 8 pm on the PA's official television channel, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday.
The series is aimed at entertaining the Palestinian population after the daily fasting. The show was written by Palestinian filmmaker George Halifi, and features Palestinian actors. The funding for the show is mostly from Europe.
The show's episodes will discuss a variety of everyday problems of living in the Palestinian Authority and under the Israeli occupation. One story for example will deal with a character getting arrested and the attempts to release him. A love story will face limitations brought on by Islam with tragic consequences, and another story will concentrate on a marriage in trouble.
"Matabb" will be going up against two other shows, currently being shown on Palestinian television, one of them being a comedy dealing with life in the Authority.
Palestinian shows have never been referred to as "must see TV", and the competition they face is a fierce one. One of the most popular shows in the Arab world is the Syrian show "Bab Elhara", which for the last two years has been a ratings hit during the month of Ramadan. Another hit TV show is the Turkish made "Noor".
