Network drops film about European antisemitism
A BROADCASTER has refused to screen a documentary about antisemitism within European Muslim communities, claiming that the film does not show a “multi-perspective” approach.
Arte, a Franco-German broadcaster, decided not to show the documentary Chosen and Excluded — The Hate for Jews in Europe, despite having commissioned it in the first place, according to the Sunday Times.
According to German media reports, editors at Arte rejected the film it because it is “a provocation”, “pours oil onto the fire” and is “anti-Protestant, anti-Muslim and pro-Israeli”.
Among other things, the film shows young French Jews talking about the regular antisemitic beatings they receive and the widespread desire in their community to emigrate to Israel.
The film’s director, Joachim Schroeder, told the Jerusalem Post that the network’s editors did not understand that “modern antisemitism is anti-Zionism”.
He also told the Israeli paper: “You can’t make a film on antisemitism without saying every three minutes that the Palestinians are the victims of Israelis.”
In response, Alain le Diberder, Arte’s director, said that “honourable and good reasons” had informed the network’s decision not to broadcast the documentary. He claimed the network had taken a “necessary procedural decision taken to ensure editorial responsibility and quality”.
The documentary had been commissioned to focus on antisemitism in five countries — Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Hungary and Greece. Arte claimed the documentary “concentrates primarily on the Middle East and does not address the five designated countries in any way.” However, the film did look at antisemitism in Belgium, France and Germany.
It included an interview with François Pupponi, the Socialist mayor of the Parisian suburb of Sarcelles, who said: “French Jews think they have no future in France, that they have to leave the country to live in security and peace.”
He added: “For a certain number of young people, ‘Jew’ and ‘Israel’ are one and the same so if you’re against Israel, you’re also against synagogues.”