'Mendacious society.' Bakri
Photo: Shaul Golan
Arab actor: Boycott Israeli cinema
Director of 'Jenin, Jenin' Mohammad Bakri tells Turkish daily he's being persecuted in Israel over his political opinions; says Ankara's response to deadly flotilla raid was not harsh enough
"Israeli films and film producers should be boycotted and not invited to international festivals," Israeli Arab actor and director Mohammad Bakri told Turkish newspaper Star recently.
In the interview, Bakri said he was being economically and politically persecuted in Israel due to his political opinions and his controversial documentary "Jenin, Jenin", adding that he was being portrayed as a traitor.
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However, Bakri said he did not plan on leaving Israel. "It's my homeland. Israel committed crimes against humanity. My movie expressed my thoughts against the occupation."
Bakri also spoke of Israel's relations with Turkey, saying Ankara's response to the deadly commando raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, during which nine Turkish citizens were killed, was not harsh enough.
According to the actor, Turkey should have severed all ties with Israel and joined the economic boycott against the Jewish state. "So many people were killed, and Turkey did nothing," he told the Star.
Sources in Israel's Foreign Ministry called Bakri's comments hypocritical.
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