A screening of the movie Lyd at the government-funded Al Saraya Theater in Jaffa that was scheduled for Thursday evening was canceled after Minister of Culture and Sport Miki Zohar interfered.
The movie, which was written by BDS activists Roger Waters and Rami Younis, tells the story of the city of Lod from 1948 until today. The city presents the Arab narrative according to which Israel expelled the residents of Lod without any fault on their part.
The movie claims that IDF soldiers massacred hundreds of Lod residents. In addition, it accuses the Mayor and the Israeli police of carrying out a "Nakba" and destroying Arab houses in the city in the present and calls on Arabs to defend the mosques from Jewish attacks.
At the end of the film, the producer imagines Israel as if it did not exist and notes that Lod was the "Palestinian center" until it was destroyed because of Israel.
Younis is a Lod resident who has a history of anti-Israel statements. Among other things, during the May 2021 riots, Younis called on Arab youth to participate in riots against Jews in the mixed city.
Betsalmo human rights group CEO Shai Glick contacted the National Security Minister asking he forbid the screening. Glick noted that if the event were not canceled he would organize a demonstration at the theater to prevent it from being held. In addition, he asked Minister of Culture and Sport Miki Zohar to cut state funding for the theatre.
Arutz Sheva-Israel National News has learned that earlier in the day the police contacted the theater to insure that the film did not consist of incitement and later decided to prevent the screening.