Anti-Islamic film linked to pro-Israeli groups
March 29, 2007
An anti-Islamic documentary, promoted by the two most-watched U.S. cable networks, CNN and Fox News, was marketed and supported by pro-Israeli groups, according to an IPS investigation.
The film, titled "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West", includes pictures of Palestinian resistance fighters, footage of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Nazi rallies, with the aim of comparing the threat posed by “radical Islam” to that of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
“Obsession”, produced by Raphael Shore, a Canadian now living in Israel, and directed by Wayne Kopping of South Africa, ran on CNN and Fox News, which aired it seven times in November last year. Both networks praised the film, with CNN's right-wing pundit Glen Beck calling it "one of the most important films of our time", and Sean Hannity of FOX News describing it as "shocking beyond belief".
But neither station acknowledged the film’s connection to HonestReporting, a watchdog group that monitors the media for the alleged negative portrayals of Israel.
HonestReporting admits that it marketed "Obsession" but denies it produced or funded the project. "We initially gave some guidance to the 'Obsession' staff," wrote Pesach Bensen, editor of Mediabackspin.com, the organization's weblog, in an email response to IPS.
HonestReporting was set up in 2002 by British university students who objected to what they considered anti-Israeli coverage by European media in response to the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.
Although the film’s website doesn’t mention HonestReporting, the group’s name does appear at the end of the film's credits.
Moreover, a call for tax-deductible donations to help "launch" the documentary appeared on HonestReporting's website, promising a free DVD of "Obsession" upon release. Contributors of 250 dollars or more were promised a free copy of the book "Israel: Life in the Shadow of Terror". An entry on Mediabackspin.com, the organization's weblog, also describes HonestReporting as a "proud partner" of the film.
The documentary has sparked debate on U.S. university campuses, where Muslim students opposed its screening, saying that it would spur hate crimes against them.
“Obsession” was screened on 30 campuses last semester -- along with DVD sales on the Internet and showings at synagogues. But administrators in some colleges pressured student groups not to show the film.
According to the New York Times, a Middle East discussion group that planned to screen the film found out that the distributors of "Obsession" require the audience to register with IsraelActivism.com, the Web site of Hasbara Fellowships, a pro-Israeli group which aims to train students "to be effective pro-Israel activists on their campuses."
The founder of Hasbara helped found HonestReporting. Rabbi Ephraim Shore, the president of HonestReporting, also helped found Hasbara.
Although the film contains disclaimers stating that "it's important to remember most Muslims are peaceful and do not support terror," critics argue that it makes little distinction between the Islamic religion and the political realities that fuel terrorism.
"It's all part of that industry of Muslim bashers," said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Norah Sarsour, a Palestinian-American university student, said it was disheartening to see "a film like this that takes the people who have hijacked the religion and focuses on them."
Some Rabbis also spoke out against the film, describing it as biased.
It was "a way to transfer the Middle East conflict to the campus, to promote hostility,” said Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, director of the Hillel Jewish student group at Pace University in New York, which canceled the screening of the film last November.
An anti-Islamic documentary, promoted by the two most-watched U.S. cable networks, CNN and Fox News, was marketed and supported by pro-Israeli groups, according to an IPS investigation.
The film, titled "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West", includes pictures of Palestinian resistance fighters, footage of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Nazi rallies, with the aim of comparing the threat posed by “radical Islam” to that of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
“Obsession”, produced by Raphael Shore, a Canadian now living in Israel, and directed by Wayne Kopping of South Africa, ran on CNN and Fox News, which aired it seven times in November last year. Both networks praised the film, with CNN's right-wing pundit Glen Beck calling it "one of the most important films of our time", and Sean Hannity of FOX News describing it as "shocking beyond belief".
But neither station acknowledged the film’s connection to HonestReporting, a watchdog group that monitors the media for the alleged negative portrayals of Israel.
HonestReporting admits that it marketed "Obsession" but denies it produced or funded the project. "We initially gave some guidance to the 'Obsession' staff," wrote Pesach Bensen, editor of Mediabackspin.com, the organization's weblog, in an email response to IPS.
HonestReporting was set up in 2002 by British university students who objected to what they considered anti-Israeli coverage by European media in response to the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.
Although the film’s website doesn’t mention HonestReporting, the group’s name does appear at the end of the film's credits.
Moreover, a call for tax-deductible donations to help "launch" the documentary appeared on HonestReporting's website, promising a free DVD of "Obsession" upon release. Contributors of 250 dollars or more were promised a free copy of the book "Israel: Life in the Shadow of Terror". An entry on Mediabackspin.com, the organization's weblog, also describes HonestReporting as a "proud partner" of the film.
The documentary has sparked debate on U.S. university campuses, where Muslim students opposed its screening, saying that it would spur hate crimes against them.
“Obsession” was screened on 30 campuses last semester -- along with DVD sales on the Internet and showings at synagogues. But administrators in some colleges pressured student groups not to show the film.
According to the New York Times, a Middle East discussion group that planned to screen the film found out that the distributors of "Obsession" require the audience to register with IsraelActivism.com, the Web site of Hasbara Fellowships, a pro-Israeli group which aims to train students "to be effective pro-Israel activists on their campuses."
The founder of Hasbara helped found HonestReporting. Rabbi Ephraim Shore, the president of HonestReporting, also helped found Hasbara.
Although the film contains disclaimers stating that "it's important to remember most Muslims are peaceful and do not support terror," critics argue that it makes little distinction between the Islamic religion and the political realities that fuel terrorism.
"It's all part of that industry of Muslim bashers," said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Norah Sarsour, a Palestinian-American university student, said it was disheartening to see "a film like this that takes the people who have hijacked the religion and focuses on them."
Some Rabbis also spoke out against the film, describing it as biased.
It was "a way to transfer the Middle East conflict to the campus, to promote hostility,” said Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, director of the Hillel Jewish student group at Pace University in New York, which canceled the screening of the film last November.
Labels: Islamophobia
posted by HRM Deborah of Israel and the Messenger of Peace at 7:28 AM
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