I had a grave attack of seeing red last month, as the rather faded and delusional star of stage and screen Vanessa Redgrave paraded, in the guise of a UN Goodwill Ambassador, around several Palestinian Authority towns. As is very common today, Ms. Redgrave joined the ranks of the many before her who blatantly refuse to separate fact from fiction and blood-curdling Palestinian terrorism from acts of self-defense. This oblivion seemed to help the star turn out another Oscar-winning performance as she carried out the whole visit in a stupor of biased and totally one-sided ignorance.
It has been heavily rumored over the grapevine - not a Palestinian one of course, as no doubt PA lackey Ms. Redgrave would claim that theirs has already been destroyed by "the occupying forces" - that there is going to be a sequel to her 1977 television documentary The Palestinian. This is to be aptly titled The Palestinian 2.
And just when Israelis thought it was safe to get back on the buses.
In fact, almost four years have gone into setting the stage for this multi-million dollar extravaganza, which some say is being funded by European Union and Norwegian government aid money.
The show has had several setbacks. None had been more inconvenient than the untimely death of the very talented Sheik Yassin, who was doing excellent work on the script, until he was struck down in a most untimely manner by "the occupation forces".
The highlight of the movie takes place at the wall. Ms. Redgrave, of course, was unable to make any distinction between a wall that had been built to separate societies and one that had been built to protect the State of Israel from over 100 fatal Palestinian homicide bombings. In fact, Ms. Redgrave, diverging for a moment from the script, pronounced it "a fatal policy."
Good heavens. The very indignant and prejudiced Ms. Redgrave, quickly improvising with the yet-unwritten part of the script, exclaimed, "The barrier is higher than any wall I've ever seen and even higher than the Berlin Wall."
Her astute observation and apparent expertise in barriers was accompanied by a specially provided chorus line of wailing and ululating Palestinian women, who were in fact no other than members of the "Hamas Women's Amateur Singing Society of Gaza. They sang their hearts out, and it was over 90 degrees.
Of course, no Palestinian movie would be complete without some glamour and this was adequately provided by the PA's very own leading lady - the lovely Suha Arafat. She appeared swiftly from the costume department in a Chanel suit and Hermes silk scarf. No smell of any sewer in Gaza for Suha, as she poignantly narrated a short, but tender, few words about her own hardships, on being apart from her husband and how she fervently wished she could share the plight of ordinary Palestinian women, living as they are with no hope, 10 hungry children and an unemployed husband all because of "the occupation forces". Alas, she has been forced to live in luxurious exile in Paris.
Hollywood is already buzzing at the possibility of Hannan Ashrawi being a nominee for best supporting actress. Ms. Ashrawi put in an indomitable and powerful performance. Her lines spoke volumes on behalf of the underprivileged and plighted Palestinian people. There was not a dry eye on the set. Ms. Ashrawi almost broke down herself as she painfully told of that terrible day in her childhood when "the occupation forces" came and took her land. Ms. Ashrawi, who has been known to bring big, strong men to their knees with grief as she tells her tragic tales of woe, was quickly pulled from the set. She was too upset to continue, but no doubt grateful for Ms. Redgrave's personal make-up artist - who did a lovely job in restoring Ms. Ashrawi's tear-stained face.
This movie could not have hoped for a more bewitching hero than the dashing, albeit a little worse for wear, Yasser Arafat, trying to look every bit the Valentino of Palestinian silver screens. He stood proud and defiant, still managing to smile bravely for the camera. Ms. Redgrave must have been touched to the core as Mr. Arafat sat surrounded by the Ramallah Boy Scouts, all of whom had sworn Jihad in a high-pitched chorus of barely broken little voices.
Redgrave seems clueless that Arafat is a man who has devoted his whole life to terrorism, demonizing not only those children, but a whole population, and stealing millions of dollars from aid money that could have given the people hope and the opportunity to build decent lives.
Kofi Annan was due to appear in the last scene, but unfortunately and much to his dismay, he had to abandon his obsession with the Middle East conflict, as he was called away to look at the real life suffering and starvation of hollow-eyed little Sudanese children. But the heart rendering final scene went ahead magnificently without him, as Mr. Arafat, Ms. Ashrawi and Ms. Redgrave looked towards the country of "the occupying forces", the name of which no Palestinian child should ever utter - "Israel".
"A fatal policy" proved in fact to be very true for more than 1,000 innocent Israelis who have been savagely murdered by Palestinian terrorism. The wall came too late for them. Little does Ms. Redgrave know that in Israel we are producing our own movie. It will be a tribute not only to those who have so senselessly lost their lives, but also to our brave young soldiers who, day-in day-out, have to defend our country against barbarism.
The name of the movie will be "The 1,000 Red Graves".
It has been heavily rumored over the grapevine - not a Palestinian one of course, as no doubt PA lackey Ms. Redgrave would claim that theirs has already been destroyed by "the occupying forces" - that there is going to be a sequel to her 1977 television documentary The Palestinian. This is to be aptly titled The Palestinian 2.
And just when Israelis thought it was safe to get back on the buses.
In fact, almost four years have gone into setting the stage for this multi-million dollar extravaganza, which some say is being funded by European Union and Norwegian government aid money.
The show has had several setbacks. None had been more inconvenient than the untimely death of the very talented Sheik Yassin, who was doing excellent work on the script, until he was struck down in a most untimely manner by "the occupation forces".
The highlight of the movie takes place at the wall. Ms. Redgrave, of course, was unable to make any distinction between a wall that had been built to separate societies and one that had been built to protect the State of Israel from over 100 fatal Palestinian homicide bombings. In fact, Ms. Redgrave, diverging for a moment from the script, pronounced it "a fatal policy."
Good heavens. The very indignant and prejudiced Ms. Redgrave, quickly improvising with the yet-unwritten part of the script, exclaimed, "The barrier is higher than any wall I've ever seen and even higher than the Berlin Wall."
Her astute observation and apparent expertise in barriers was accompanied by a specially provided chorus line of wailing and ululating Palestinian women, who were in fact no other than members of the "Hamas Women's Amateur Singing Society of Gaza. They sang their hearts out, and it was over 90 degrees.
Of course, no Palestinian movie would be complete without some glamour and this was adequately provided by the PA's very own leading lady - the lovely Suha Arafat. She appeared swiftly from the costume department in a Chanel suit and Hermes silk scarf. No smell of any sewer in Gaza for Suha, as she poignantly narrated a short, but tender, few words about her own hardships, on being apart from her husband and how she fervently wished she could share the plight of ordinary Palestinian women, living as they are with no hope, 10 hungry children and an unemployed husband all because of "the occupation forces". Alas, she has been forced to live in luxurious exile in Paris.
Hollywood is already buzzing at the possibility of Hannan Ashrawi being a nominee for best supporting actress. Ms. Ashrawi put in an indomitable and powerful performance. Her lines spoke volumes on behalf of the underprivileged and plighted Palestinian people. There was not a dry eye on the set. Ms. Ashrawi almost broke down herself as she painfully told of that terrible day in her childhood when "the occupation forces" came and took her land. Ms. Ashrawi, who has been known to bring big, strong men to their knees with grief as she tells her tragic tales of woe, was quickly pulled from the set. She was too upset to continue, but no doubt grateful for Ms. Redgrave's personal make-up artist - who did a lovely job in restoring Ms. Ashrawi's tear-stained face.
This movie could not have hoped for a more bewitching hero than the dashing, albeit a little worse for wear, Yasser Arafat, trying to look every bit the Valentino of Palestinian silver screens. He stood proud and defiant, still managing to smile bravely for the camera. Ms. Redgrave must have been touched to the core as Mr. Arafat sat surrounded by the Ramallah Boy Scouts, all of whom had sworn Jihad in a high-pitched chorus of barely broken little voices.
Redgrave seems clueless that Arafat is a man who has devoted his whole life to terrorism, demonizing not only those children, but a whole population, and stealing millions of dollars from aid money that could have given the people hope and the opportunity to build decent lives.
Kofi Annan was due to appear in the last scene, but unfortunately and much to his dismay, he had to abandon his obsession with the Middle East conflict, as he was called away to look at the real life suffering and starvation of hollow-eyed little Sudanese children. But the heart rendering final scene went ahead magnificently without him, as Mr. Arafat, Ms. Ashrawi and Ms. Redgrave looked towards the country of "the occupying forces", the name of which no Palestinian child should ever utter - "Israel".
"A fatal policy" proved in fact to be very true for more than 1,000 innocent Israelis who have been savagely murdered by Palestinian terrorism. The wall came too late for them. Little does Ms. Redgrave know that in Israel we are producing our own movie. It will be a tribute not only to those who have so senselessly lost their lives, but also to our brave young soldiers who, day-in day-out, have to defend our country against barbarism.
The name of the movie will be "The 1,000 Red Graves".