Chaim Yavin, sometimes known as Israel's Walter Cronkite, is in Gush Katif filming a documentary - but is having trouble interviewing the Jewish residents. The reason? - The left-wing bias they say the film is certain to have.
Yavin is Israel's best-known television anchor, having presented the Israel Television evening news almost nightly since 1968. He has served in many journalistic capacities, was head of Israel Television and produced many documentaries. He is widely considered to have a left-wing bent, however, and his current project is expected to be no exception. Two of Yavin's advisors for this film are Akiva Eldar of Haaretz, and historian Idit Zertal, both known for their strong left-wing views. In view of this, the Gaza Coast Regional Council has recommended that its residents refuse to be interviewed by Yavin's film crews.
Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane spoke with Chaim Yavin and asked him why he does not include a right-wing consultant on his staff as well. Yavin said he has in fact done so: "[Former Yesha Council head] Yisrael Har'el is a consultant to the same extent that Eldar and Zertal are." Har'el, however, later denied this strenuously. "If Yavin said this, then he is not telling the truth," Har'el told Arutz-7.
Har'el said that all he did for the film was to serve as a middleman between Yavin and several people whom he wished to interview, "as I have done many times for many others, as a courtesy. This is a far cry from being an active consultant... In view of the advisors he's using and his behavior in general, I would advise the residents there not to cooperate with Yavin."
Yavin said that he has already interviewed several settlement leaders, "including Pinchas Wallerstein, Benny Katzover, Ron Nachman, Daniella Weiss and others, with no problem. The movie will be screened on a public channel, and it will be fair and even-handed, though it might reflect a certain worldview which might not be the same as yours - but that's the way it is."
Yavin said that if in fact the Gush Katif leaders had imposed a "boycott" on his movie, "this would not be fair or smart of them; we're not coming to attack, but rather to hear them and give them a chance to express their views."
Kahane later spoke with Gaza Coast spokesman Eran Sternberg, who responded:
"We're not doing this not-smart thing Yavin says we're doing; we are not blocking anyone from speaking, and we couldn't even if we tried. However, we do have a position, namely that we will not see blessing from this film. The opinions of all those involved in making it are well-known... Asking us to cooperate is like asking Arabs to cooperate in a movie made by [right-wing activist] Itamar Ben-Gvir...
"I spoke with several of those who were already interviewed, and they told me that they didn't know who the advisors were and the like. They agree that in general we shouldn't cooperate. We often do cooperate with journalists whose opinions are against ours, in order to 'minimize the damage' they could cause. This case, however, crosses the red line, given the advisors accompanying it. We as residents of Gush Katif must have a minimal level of self-respect, and we must realize that there are times when our words will simply be corrupted and used against us."
Sternberg said that posters had been put up around Gush Katif recommending that residents not cooperate. Asked about the possibility that Yavin might film the posters, Sternberg said, "On the contrary, if he does so, it will help us, as it will help explain why he is not getting a representative picture from the residents."
Yavin is Israel's best-known television anchor, having presented the Israel Television evening news almost nightly since 1968. He has served in many journalistic capacities, was head of Israel Television and produced many documentaries. He is widely considered to have a left-wing bent, however, and his current project is expected to be no exception. Two of Yavin's advisors for this film are Akiva Eldar of Haaretz, and historian Idit Zertal, both known for their strong left-wing views. In view of this, the Gaza Coast Regional Council has recommended that its residents refuse to be interviewed by Yavin's film crews.
Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane spoke with Chaim Yavin and asked him why he does not include a right-wing consultant on his staff as well. Yavin said he has in fact done so: "[Former Yesha Council head] Yisrael Har'el is a consultant to the same extent that Eldar and Zertal are." Har'el, however, later denied this strenuously. "If Yavin said this, then he is not telling the truth," Har'el told Arutz-7.
Har'el said that all he did for the film was to serve as a middleman between Yavin and several people whom he wished to interview, "as I have done many times for many others, as a courtesy. This is a far cry from being an active consultant... In view of the advisors he's using and his behavior in general, I would advise the residents there not to cooperate with Yavin."
Yavin said that he has already interviewed several settlement leaders, "including Pinchas Wallerstein, Benny Katzover, Ron Nachman, Daniella Weiss and others, with no problem. The movie will be screened on a public channel, and it will be fair and even-handed, though it might reflect a certain worldview which might not be the same as yours - but that's the way it is."
Yavin said that if in fact the Gush Katif leaders had imposed a "boycott" on his movie, "this would not be fair or smart of them; we're not coming to attack, but rather to hear them and give them a chance to express their views."
Kahane later spoke with Gaza Coast spokesman Eran Sternberg, who responded:
"We're not doing this not-smart thing Yavin says we're doing; we are not blocking anyone from speaking, and we couldn't even if we tried. However, we do have a position, namely that we will not see blessing from this film. The opinions of all those involved in making it are well-known... Asking us to cooperate is like asking Arabs to cooperate in a movie made by [right-wing activist] Itamar Ben-Gvir...
"I spoke with several of those who were already interviewed, and they told me that they didn't know who the advisors were and the like. They agree that in general we shouldn't cooperate. We often do cooperate with journalists whose opinions are against ours, in order to 'minimize the damage' they could cause. This case, however, crosses the red line, given the advisors accompanying it. We as residents of Gush Katif must have a minimal level of self-respect, and we must realize that there are times when our words will simply be corrupted and used against us."
Sternberg said that posters had been put up around Gush Katif recommending that residents not cooperate. Asked about the possibility that Yavin might film the posters, Sternberg said, "On the contrary, if he does so, it will help us, as it will help explain why he is not getting a representative picture from the residents."