The Zionist Federation of New Zealand
This year, the Doc Edge is screening four films from Israel. One in particular, Dead Sea Guardians, has caught the attention of the Israel haters. Groups such as the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa are calling for a boycott of this film in particular and of the Doc Edge in general.
The movie description states, “The film follows Oded from Israel, Munqeth from Jordan, and Yusuf from Palestine with each of them living very different lives. Together they come up with a high-profile event to capture people’s attention to the environmental catastrophe happening in their own backyards. They will put together a group of international swimmers to do something that has never been done: to swim across the Dead Sea, from Jordan to Israel.”
Those who are advocating a boycott of this movie are doing so under the guise of caring about Palestinians, but in reality, it is due to their hatred of Israel as the nation State of the Jewish people. These people are advocating a boycott with the far-fetched and ridiculous claim that the movie tries to “wipe Palestine off the map”. In fact, the movie is about trying to save the Dead Sea which is a vital part of the environment to Israelis, Jordanians, and Palestinians.
Call to action
It is vital that we do not let the Israel-haters and those promoting BDS (Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions) of Israel win. It is important that we show our support to the Doc Edge Film Festival in the face of continued pressure to not screen this (and no doubt other Israeli movies) and remove the Israeli Embassy as one of its partners.
The best way we can show support to the Doc Edge Film Festival is to buy tickets for ‘Dead Sea Guardians’ as well as other Israeli movies that are being shown in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Please book your tickets and ask your friends to go too. Let’s not give into hate and to those wanting to see Israel wiped off the face of the map.
More information on the ‘Dead Sea Guardians’ and how to book tickets can be found here.