Israel Matzav

'Palestinian Authority' furious over satire on 'Palestinian' television

This should be fun. 'Palestinian Authority' Television did a satire of the 'Palestinian police' and - get this - the police want to sue them.

Palestine TV’s controversial satire show, Watan ala Watar (Homeland on a String), has angered the Palestinian Authority police force in the West Bank, whose commanders have decided to sue the station for libel.

The police are furious with the satire – especially because of a scene where two traffic policemen stop a drunk driver for inspection. The policemen are portrayed in an obnoxious manner that suggests that they too are under the influence of alcohol.

Adnan Damiri, spokesman for the PA security forces, complained that the episode, which is being aired during the holy month of Ramadan, depicted the policemen as “vulgar and common.”

He said that viewers were left with the impression that the police officers had gotten intoxicated from the smell of alcohol that came out of the mouth of the driver.

“This is degrading for the policemen,” Damiri said. “This is a clear humiliation and we have the right not to remain silent.”

He charged that Watan ala Watar was being broadcast to cause harm to some Palestinians, not as a means of entertainment.

“We support criticism and freedom of expression, but only in a positive way,” Damiri was quoted by the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper as saying.

“The program that dealt with the police did not offer objective criticism based on a clear idea. It was merely intended to degrade, and this is something we can’t accept.”

And they're not the only 'Palestinian' group that's upset about the show. Read the whole thing.

LATMA could have some real fun with this. Let's hope Palestinian Media Watch or MEMRI translates it. I'll keep an eye out.

Labels: Dayton forces, Palestinian Authority Television

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:41 AM