Iran cleric says Israel behind anti-Islam Dutch film

[oberliner]

TEHRAN - Israel and unidentified "oppressive powers" are behind the production of an anti-Islamic film by right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders, a prominent conservative Iranian cleric claimed on Friday.

"Behind these satanic acts can be found the oppressive powers and the Zionist regime," Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said during a Friday prayer sermon in the capital broadcast by state radio.

"This poor Dutch deputy has made 40 trips to Israel over the past 25 years," Khatami said. "He has himself said he is close to (Israeli President) Shimon Peres and (Prime Minister) Ehud Olmert.

"We see the hand of the Zionist regime behind these satanic acts and we cry 'death to Israel,'" he added.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3527773,00.html

[MADem]

1. No, a rightwing Dutch guy is behind that film. No one else. It's a rather interesting work.

It's focus is NATIONALISTIC, not supportive of Jews or Israel.

Of course, it's full of "worst case" bias, and it makes its case by taking small, unrelated "truths" and juxtaposing them to make them appear to be more than what they are.

It has rather impressive production values, too, for something slapped together on a computer. All in all, it is a rather tidy bit of propaganda.

I wouldn't blame Israel for it, though. Khatami has his head up his ass on that score.

[Wild Colonial Boy]

5. If its the least bit critical of Islam then

it must be "Da Joos".

Why is it that imams get a free pass when they declare such nonsense

[MADem]

6. Every country has their idiots, even in leadership roles.

The big K is "playing to his base" apparently,to the lesser educated faithful voters who know little about Europe, but a lot about those "terrible oppressors" in "the lost land of Palestine." They're responsible for EVERYTHING bad that happens. Bus running late? No yoghurt at the corner market? We know who to blame!

You can see the film online--every time someone takes it down, soemone else tosses it back up. It's nothing "new" though--just a lot of "inciteful" (as opposed to insightful) imagery, and a lot of baiting in the race/religion sphere.

The irony is, the guy is such a screaming nationalist (and a specific type of nationalist, too--the kind that likes the country to look, demographically, like it did when he was young==a younger, European Pat Buchanan), that I suspect, if there were too many "Joooooos" in his country, he'd probably come up with a "Part Deux" griping about them, too.

[Vegasaurus]

7. The anti-semitism that comes out of the Imans

is no worse than the rampant and virulent anti-semitism in the Arab press or on the Arab street.

The "Joos" as you say, are the convenient scapegoat for every problem plaguing the Arabs or Muslims, or in fact, the entire middle east.

There have even been posters here who blame Israel for the factional or tribal violence between Hamas and Fatah, or between Sunnis and Shias.

The Arabs and Muslims have plenty of internal problems that have absolutely nothing at all to do with Jews or Israel. But in their perpetual victim capacity, it is always easy to blame someone else for all their problems, than to take responsibility for them.

[liberal N proud]

2. Wouldn't suprise me

[LeftishBrit]

3. It would *thoroughly* surprise me.

From everything I know, the film is predominantly fuelled by European RW politics, and in particular anti-immigrant bigotry. It has little to do with the I/P conflict.

Trust the nuttier Iranian fundies to instantly blame their favourite bogeynation!

[Behind the Aegis]

8. No more than your response surprises me. n/t

[PCIntern]

4. Oh, OK if he says so...

after all, why would he lie?

:sarcasm: