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'British show demonizes Israel'
British mini-series based in Israel 'worse than anything I've seen,' London embassy spokesman says; show draws parallels involving IDF, Nazi era, heroine helps Palestinians smuggle arms into Gaza
A British mini-series that slams the IDF and the State of Israel has been slammed by the Jewish state's embassy spokesman, Amir Ofek, as "a new category of hostility towards Israel."
The show, which was mostly filmed in Israel, provoked fury among many British Jewish. Ofek told the Jewish Chronicle that "In my 15-year career I have never seen anything like it in the Western media. I'm aware of artistic freedom, but nevertheless I feel this is worse than anything I've seen."
The mini-series, which provoked accusations of demonization and hate-mongering, has been hailed by British TV critics as the year's best drama.
Watch show's trailer
"It's obvious there was a special attempt to demonize Israelis," he said. They used every tool available - visuals especially - to undermine the Israeli perspective."
The show's heroine is a young British woman who travels to Israel ahead of her Israeli friend's enlistment with the IDF. Before the trip, she comes across a diary written by her dying grandfather, who during the 1940s helped save Jews from death camp and was later sent to the Land of Israel at the service of Her Majesty.
In Israel, the young Londoner searches for Muhammad, a friend of her grandfather. While at it, she helps the Palestinians smuggles arms to Gaza, just like her grandpa helped the Arabs earlier.
Director inspired by leftist group
Throughout the mini-series, the audience is treated to parallels pertaining to IDF operations in Judea and Samaria, the acts of underground groups against the Brits, and the grandfather's memories from the death camp.Close to two million people watched the first episode of the show, which was directed by Peter Kosminsky, whose grandfather is Jewish. One of the stars of the mini-series is Israeli actor Itay Tiran, in the role of an IDF soldier who served in Hebron and "sobered up." Kosminsky said he was inspired after reading testimonials of Israeli soldiers involved with the Breaking the Silence organization.
Embassy Spokesman Ofek said IDF troops were portrayed as blood-thirsty, while the Palestinians were mostly in the role of helpless victims. The diplomat also slammed the portrayal of wealthy Israeli families spending their time in the swimming pool as unrepresentative of Israeli society.
"In my time here, we have never had as many complaints from people as we have had for this program. When I asked people if they had watched all the episodes they said they had given up because it was so upsetting," he said.
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