Stabroek News

Hollywood executives back Netflix over anti-Israel ‘Fauda’ boycott

-

(Reuters) - More than 50 Hollywood executives have thrown their support behind Netflix, which is facing a campaign by a Palestinia­n-led movement to drop Israeli television series Fauda from its streaming platform.

In a letter on Tuesday to Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos, the executives from record labels and Hollywood talent agencies called the move by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement a “blatant attempt at artistic censorship.”

Fauda is an Israeli-made television thriller set in the West Bank about an Israeli undercover agent who comes out of retirement to hunt for a Palestinia­n militant.

The show, which features dialog in both Hebrew and Arabic, was first broadcast on Israeli television in 2015 and premiered on Netflix in December 2016. Netflix is due to release the second season in May.

In a posting on its website last week, the BDS called on Netflix to “nix Fauda,” saying the series “glorifies the Israeli military’s war crimes against the Palestinia­n people.”

“Failing to do so will open Netflix to nonviolent grassroots pressure and possible legal accountabi­lity,” the posting added. Netflix declined to comment on Wednesday. In its letter of support, the U.S.-based Creative Community for Peace called Fauda a “nuanced portrayal of issues related to the Israeli/Palestinia­n conflict.”

“We want you to know that we stand behind you and Netflix in the face of this blatant attempt at artistic censorship,” the letter said. Signatorie­s included Universal Music Publishing Group Chief Executive Jody Gerson, Geffen Records president Neil Jacobson and Steve Schnur, music Electronic Arts.

The campaign against Fauda is the latest move since 2005 by BDS to promote a global cultural boycott against Israel.

It has succeeded in recent years in dissuading a number of music acts, including Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, Elvis Costello and New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, from performing in Israel. president at videogame producer

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? A scene from the Israeli television series Fauda. (Reuters photo)
A scene from the Israeli television series Fauda. (Reuters photo)
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Guyana