Is this anti-Semitic?

[bit_pattern]

SBS in Australia (a semi-public broadcaster with a charter to promote multicultural diversity) is showing a British drama set in the mandate of Palestine in the 1940's, the Australia Jewry are apparently outraged and up in arms against the broadcaster. So is this anti-Semitic, is the Executive Council right in trying to get it banned from Australian airwaves?

A LEADING Jewish body is seeking to halt promotion and DVD sales of SBS series The Promise, a drama set in Israel and the occupied territories that it likened to Nazi propaganda.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry said the British-made drama, inspired by accounts of British soldiers who served in Palestine during the 1940s, was anti-Semitic and in direct violation of the SBS code covering prejudice, racism and discrimination.

The four-part series, which screened late last year, depicts a young British woman retracing the footsteps of her grandfather, a soldier in the final years of the British Mandate in Palestine.

In its 31-page complaint to the SBS ombudsman, the council said historical inaccuracies and ''consistently negative portrayals'' of the central Jewish characters made the series comparable to the 1940 Nazi film Jud Suss.

It contended that identifiably Muslim characters would not be similarly portrayed by SBS.

In a letter to the broadcaster, the council's executive director, Peter Wertheim, said the complaint also related to any marketing or sale of the DVD, which would be ''inappropriate'' while the determination was pending.

The TV drama prompted a similar reaction following its screening in Britain last year. The UK's Office of Communications received 44 complaints about the series, none of which were upheld.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainm...-sbs-series-20120116-1q3a8.html#ixzz1jh8bEDDu

 

[Lamuella]

a ridiculous claim, made more ridiculous by the Godwin

 

[arthwollipot]

I didn't see it, so I can't say.

 

[BaaBaa]

I didn't see it, so I can't say.

What he said.

 

[Lamuella]

I saw the first episode, and it seemed relatively even handed and well constructed.

 

[ddt]

I didn't see it, so I can't say.

This. The wiki entry says it will be on the French-German Arte channel this year, so fortunately I get a chance to see it on TV.

However, wiki also says that the director did ample research among British veterans, and that similar objections were raised in the UK and in France, and that they were not honoured. It's also an uncontroversial fact that the British troops in Palestine had much more to fear from Jewish troops than from Palestinian (or other Arab) troops in the post-WW2 era, so a production made from the perspective of British soldiers will naturally put the former in a less sympathetic light. So my first impression is to take the claim of antisemitism with a grain of salt.

 

[angrysoba]

SBS in Australia (a semi-public broadcaster with a charter to promote multicultural diversity) is showing a British drama set in the mandate of Palestine in the 1940's, the Australia Jewry are apparently outraged and up in arms against the broadcaster. So is this anti-Semitic, is the Executive Council right in trying to get it banned from Australian airwaves?

I think I will watch it after I illegally download it. Then I will decide whether or not it should be banned.

I'll try and get back to you with the verdict as soon as possible but I have a massive backlog of porn that I also must cast my eye over to determine if it is fit for public consumption.

 

[welshdean]

I watched it about a year ago, it's quite decent actually. Not anti-semitic in any way. But if your that way inclined and you look hard and long enough, you can always find something to take offense at.
For some anti-semitism now seems to mean not pro-semitic enough. Just like the fundy xians that take offense when you ask them to stop pushing their crap at you constantly.
If it's coming to a network near you, it's worth a look.

 

[catsmate]

I watched it about a year ago, it's quite decent actually. Not anti-semitic in any way. But if your that way inclined and you look hard and long enough, you can always find something to take offense at.
For some anti-semitism now seems to mean not pro-semitic enough. Just like the fundy xians that take offense when you ask them to stop pushing their crap at you constantly.
If it's coming to a network near you, it's worth a look.

This. I saw it when it was broadcast last year and found it pretty good, though it dragged somewhat in episode 3; no-one really came off very well in the portrayal of Palestine in 46-48, which I think is rather accurate.

FYI the Ofcom (broadcasting regulator) report on the UK complaints is here.

 

[crimresearch]

a ridiculous claim, made more ridiculous by the Godwin

I don't think you understand what 'Godwin' really is. The complaint about this isn't it.

 

[Information Analyst]

The TV drama prompted a similar reaction following its screening in Britain last year. The UK's Office of Communications received 44 complaints about the series, none of which were upheld.

Mostly "reaction" from pundits who freely or inadvertently admitted to not actually having seen it, of course, but were for some reason uncomfortable with a timely reminder that Zionist terrorists did actually murder British soldiers and civilains in Palestine.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

If I had to guess, I bet this comment was apt:

''If criticism of Israel becomes entirely synonymous with anti-Semitism, it becomes almost impossible to attempt any kind of reasoned analysis of what is clearly one of the saddest and most intractable conflicts facing the human race today,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainm...-sbs-series-20120116-1q3a8.html#ixzz1jlFMDrDB

 

[Architect]

I watched it about a year ago, it's quite decent actually. Not anti-semitic in any way. But if your that way inclined and you look hard and long enough, you can always find something to take offense at.
For some anti-semitism now seems to mean not pro-semitic enough. Just like the fundy xians that take offense when you ask them to stop pushing their crap at you constantly.
If it's coming to a network near you, it's worth a look.

Yes, I saw some of it here in the UK and it wouldn't seem to be anything to complain about.

 

[angrysoba]

How long are these shows?

 

[fleabeetle]

However, wiki also says that the director did ample research among British veterans, and that similar objections were raised in the UK and in France, and that they were not honoured. It's also an uncontroversial fact that the British troops in Palestine had much more to fear from Jewish troops than from Palestinian (or other Arab) troops in the post-WW2 era, so a production made from the perspective of British soldiers will naturally put the former in a less sympathetic light. So my first impression is to take the claim of antisemitism with a grain of salt.

Leading a basically TV-less life, I am unlikely to see the series under discussion -- but, a small bit of personal input, for what it might be worth.

A late uncle of mine served for about a year in the British Army in Palestine, in 1945/46 (after having volunteered in 1939 and served throughout World War 2). He was a gentle, decent kind of guy, not given to strong hatreds; his basic feeling about that episode as he experienced it, was more-or-less equal dislike for both sides in the quarrel. He didn’t get apoplectic about the matter -- but for the rest of his life, he was pretty much indifferent as regards that aspect of the Middle East situation; tending toward the sentiment, “a plague on both their houses”.

His spell in Palestine did have a positive side for him, in a couple of peripheral ways; but overall, it was an experience which he’d have been glad to be able to miss out on.

 

[bit_pattern]

Leading a basically TV-less life, I am unlikely to see the series under discussion -- but, a small bit of personal input, for what it might be worth.

A late uncle of mine served for about a year in the British Army in Palestine, in 1945/46 (after having volunteered in 1939 and served throughout World War 2). He was a gentle, decent kind of guy, not given to strong hatreds; his basic feeling about that episode as he experienced it, was more-or-less equal dislike for both sides in the quarrel. He didn’t get apoplectic about the matter -- but for the rest of his life, he was pretty much indifferent as regards that aspect of the Middle East situation; tending toward the sentiment, “a plague on both their houses”.

His spell in Palestine did have a positive side for him, in a couple of peripheral ways; but overall, it was an experience which he’d have been glad to be able to miss out on.

Thanks for the insight

 

[Lamuella]

I don't think you understand what 'Godwin' really is. The complaint about this isn't it.

Comparing a filmmaker to a nazi propagandist is a deliberately emotive tactic, whether or not you are a Jewish group.

 

[Information Analyst]

Leading a basically TV-less life, I am unlikely to see the series under discussion -- but, a small bit of personal input, for what it might be worth.

A late uncle of mine served for about a year in the British Army in Palestine, in 1945/46 (after having volunteered in 1939 and served throughout World War 2). He was a gentle, decent kind of guy, not given to strong hatreds; his basic feeling about that episode as he experienced it, was more-or-less equal dislike for both sides in the quarrel. He didn’t get apoplectic about the matter -- but for the rest of his life, he was pretty much indifferent as regards that aspect of the Middle East situation; tending toward the sentiment, “a plague on both their houses”.

His spell in Palestine did have a positive side for him, in a couple of peripheral ways; but overall, it was an experience which he’d have been glad to be able to miss out on.

A not uncommon reaction, it seems. Many British troops, fresh from witnessing Nazi atrocities at first hand, arrived in Palestine very sympathetic towards the Jews, but for many that soon evaporated, not least when they found they were being described as "opressors" and "Gestapo" by the Jewish press.

Britain's Small Wars: Exodus and Outrage

 

[fleabeetle]

A not uncommon reaction, it seems. Many British troops, fresh from witnessing Nazi atrocities at first hand, arrived in Palestine very sympathetic towards the Jews, but for many that soon evaporated, not least when they found they were being described as "opressors" and "Gestapo" by the Jewish press.

Britain's Small Wars: Exodus and Outrage

Time so far, to read only a bit of your link – but, interesting.

Feel that with humans, “the ground is always shifting”, and nastiness (petty, or mega-) tends unfortunately to predominate over humaneness and kindness. (Or perhaps, most of the time people are fairly-OK toward each other, and – the journalistic “man bites dog” thing – it’s the unusually nasty that gets noticed?)

I recall reading a memoir by a Jewish person (female IIRC), who rather miraculously survived World War 2 in Germany, sheltered by Germans who disagreed with the Final Solution. Shortly after the war, she emigrated, illegally, to Palestine. The settlement there in which she ended up, was very snobbish and hateful vis-à-vis people who had taken the initiative to go to Palestine pre-war, as opposed to those who had, supposedly, comfortably sat out the war in hiding in Germany, and then condescended to go to Palestine – memoirist was accused of the latter behaviour, and branded a “Hitler-Jew” – this hate lasted for years. At a time when Israel was under attack by deadly enemies -- makes no sense – but very often in human affairs, no sense is made. I have no doubt that at the same time, plenty of Jewish settlements in Palestine welcomed post-WW2 survivors, with none of abovementioned idiocy – memoirist was simply unlucky -- just, “never underestimate people’s capacity for nastiness, however petty -- never overestimate their capacity for using logic / common sense and acting thereon, however little it matters.”

 

[Brainache]

SBS in Australia (a semi-public broadcaster with a charter to promote multicultural diversity) is showing a British drama set in the mandate of Palestine in the 1940's, the Australia Jewry are apparently outraged and up in arms against the broadcaster. So is this anti-Semitic, is the Executive Council right in trying to get it banned from Australian airwaves?

SBS used to be about promoting cultural diversity, but ever since Shaun Brown took over as Boss, its main emphasis has been making profit. I was present at a meeting (I worked at SBS from 1989 to 2005) where Mr Brown told us he was getting rid of non-English language programs from the weeknight schedule because they didn't rate highly enough.

Mr Brown's decision to allow ad-breaks during shows is also a breach of SBS's charter, but no one seems motivated enough to stop it.

He isn't in charge there any more, but the new Boss doesn't seem to be any better.

Re this particular program; I haven't seen it, but I suspect what others have said. There is a number of people out there who label anything that doesn't praise Israel uncritically as anti-semitic.

I remember reading comments from viewers about our Middle East news coverage and being amazed at how the same news item could be perceived as Pro-Israel by some and as Anti-Semitic by others.

Funny old world.