Yishai calls for Gibson's Jesus film to be banned in Israel

Haaretz Israel ^ | 26 February 2004 | Amiram Barkat

[Hal1950]

Shas chairman MK Eli Yishai on Wednesday called for Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" movie to be banned from Israeli cinemas, calling it a blood libel.

In the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement saying that the film "repeats all of the stereotypes and myths surrounding the death of Jesus that have accompanied anti-Semitism for the last 2,000 years. Regretfully, Gibson refused all of our attempts for a dialogue aimed at preventing this harm to Jews."

ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said he was troubled by Gibson's claim of historical accuracy. "He made his choice," Foxman told a news conference after viewing the film. "And it's to blame the Jews."

"The Passion," which depicts in gruesome detail the final hours of the life of Jesus, premiered in the U.S. and other countries Wednesday, but not in Israel.

Jewish and other religious groups in Manhattan planned protests for Wednesday. Amcha, The Coalition for Jewish Concerns, planned to wear concentration camp uniforms at a New York theater to link the film's portrayal of Jews to the sort of hate that led to the Nazi Holocaust.

"The whole thing is a blood libel," said Yishai, from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, using a term that refers to a medieval slur that Jews used the blood of Christians to make unleavened bread for the Passover festival.

However, it appeared unlikely that the film would be banned. Few films have been barred in recent years, and the ones to be forbidden are usually pornographic. The Israeli film board, which makes these decisions, could not be reached for comment.

Yishai said the belief that the Jews had killed Jesus had led to "millions" of Jews being killed and persecuted in the last two millennia.

"This libel used to spread by word of mouth. Now the media are spreading it," Yishai told AP. "We should not accept this."

Yishai said he had also appealed to the Foreign Ministry to try to encourage other governments to bar the film.

Jewish leaders have said that the movie gives a harsh portrayal of Jews and blames them for death of Jesus. They have warned it could lead to a rise in anti-Semitism. Gibson, who also funded and co-scripted the film, denies that charge.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan, meanwhile, wrote to parishes to stress Jews were not responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.

"He gave His Life for us," Egan wrote in a column to appear in next month's issue of Catholic New York. "No one took it from Him. This is, and has always been, Catholic doctrine.

[jackbill]

We sat through Shindlers list. No one bitched about the violence in that film. No one said a word.

Was Sophie's Choice any less violent?

Oops, I guess that violence is OK. It's PC.

[concerned about politics]

Just out of curiosity, what is the Jewish belief regarding the crucifixion of Christ?

They don't believe Jesus was the prophesied messiah. They were to be sent a king, but they got a king of peace rather than the mighty military king they wanted. So, they're still waiting for their messiah. Christians believe Jesus was the one who was to come.

In my opinion, they don't want people to believe Jesus was the Christ prophesied in the old Testament. They don't believe it. They don't want other people to believe it either.

[Guillermo]

Kind of off-topic, but, it starts by calling him a bastard and Mary a prostitute.

[westerfield]

bump

[mr.pink]

The Coalition for Jewish Concerns, planned to wear concentration camp uniforms at a New York theater...

I saw that group on the news tonight and found them very silly.

[DManA]

Israel, that great liberal democracy has censorship? Do they burn books too?

[AlbionGirl]

Jeepers creepers! I think I'll leave that book alone; I'm already creeped out.

[meema]

Good Grief, Mr.Pink!
This is more than a little ridiculous!

[BykrBayb]

Let me try this again.

Just out of curiosity, what is the Jewish belief regarding the crucifixion of Christ? Was He crucified? If so, by whom?

[John Beresford Tipton]

"Just out of curiosity, what is the Jewish belief regarding the crucifixion of Christ?"

LOL,
To listen to them cary on you would think that a bunch of Finnish Samoans did it, while all the Jews were on vacation [in Boca perhaps?]

[jwalsh07]

The irony here is thick.

[Salvey]

The way these cretins are carrying on will do more to fan the flames of anti-Semitism than Gibson's movie will ever do.

[mr.pink]

Kind of off-topic,...

That's not "off topic" at all. I hope Katzenberg or Geffen subsidizes a film that will bridge regilous gaps by and instigating "dialogue" by presenting a straight up view of the Talmud (a tract the study of which we taxpayers subsidize most luxuriantly in terms of populative proportionality) for the edification of American Christians.

I know I'd appreciate it it served up "unvarnished".

[missyme]

I just got out of the screening of "the Passion of the Christ! All I can say is "POWERFUL,MOVING and INSPIRING...

The theatre was packed with people wiping away tears as I.

No way is it Anti-Semetic, furthermore the whole time I was watching it, all I was thinking was about was "Jesus" his suffering and my relationship with him, the characters were absent from my thought with the exception of "Mary" as a mother you can feel her pain and her love for a son that she knew had to die... Did I think it was accurate, I feel his crucifixcion is very accurate and that the Romans the Jews Pontuis Pilate King Herod were all frazzled and mixed up with what they believed about Jesus Y'Shua, Messiah.
The only thing that may be a bit over the top, is the satanic forces, especially when they were attacking "Judas" before he hanged himself, as well as Satan mocking Jesus with a baby, other than that it was a wonderful example of what Christ has done for mankind, and I left thinking maybe I can try just a bit harder to be the kind of individual G-d wants me to be...

[toupsie]

I just got home from watching The Passion of the Christ with my wife and I cannot find how anyone could view this as anti-Semitic. If any anger I could find from my viewing it was the brutal torture of Christ by the Romans and the cowardice of Pontius Pilate. Jews were represented as both good and evil in the movie whereas the Romans were nothing more than evil. As we all know, Jesus was a Jew along with his followers, his mother and Simon, the man who helped bear the cross with Christ.

I almost feel that the calls of Anti-Semitism about The Passion of the Christ were crying wolf. After walking out of theater, I did not gain any hatred for Jews.

[WOSG]

ROFLMAO

Where is the ROMAN anti-defamation league? Asleep at the wheel I guess.

They havent been the same since "The Godfather".

[Alouette]

(a tract the study of which we taxpayers subsidize most luxuriantly in terms of populative proportionality)

Care to elaborate on those "most luxuriant subsidies"? I wish I knew where to sign up, cause I ain't been getting my check.

Oh, and, you don't know JACK about the Talmud.

[mr.pink]

This is more than a little ridiculous!

Last time I checked, American Christains made up a slight majority of the forces that defeated Nazism.....at least that's how every fighting age male in my family passed the forties.

Amazing to watch these hate filled dips#hits act like Dachua was in Bayonne, and my dad and uncles were playing croquette on the finely trimmed lawns of some Euro club med.

[WOSG]

"We sat through Shindlers list. No one bitched about the violence in that film. No one said a word."

My wife mentions the same point.

They said it was so "important" to see that if was wrong to even question showing the graphic violence and brutality on network television.

[montag813]

1. Jesus was a Jew
2. The Pharisses endorsed the Roman view that he was a dangerous revolutionary, and believed that by sacrificing Jesus, they could avoid the wrath of Rome.
3. The Jewish leadership endorsed his execution.

Where is the "blood libel"? The film clearly depicts Jews sympathetic to Jesus. Sheesh, his entire entourage were Jews. Nearly every single original Christian was a Jew. The corrupt Jewish politicians were complicit in his death. Does any self-respecting religious Jew claim that Abe Foxman, Jerrold Nadler, Shimon Peres and Edgar Bronfman speak for all Jews? Does Al Sharpton speak for Black America? "Leadership" does not equal "All". Such paranoia is not worthy of the great state of Israel.