Israelis Mostly Ignore "The Passion"

Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion" hasn't been released in Israel - and not many people seem to care. It's not that it has been censored - no distributors have even applied to release it. Some critics argue that the public should have a chance to decide whether it is antisemitic or not, but would they even bother to see the film?

Laura King writes:

“I would like to have a screening of it here, with a panel discussion by religious leaders, both Christian and Jewish ones,” said Lia van Leer, the Cinematheque’s director. “People are not stupid — they can make up their own minds about what offends them or doesn’t.” ... Uri Klein, a film critic for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, recalled a similar tempest surrounding Martin Scorsese’s 1988 film “The Last Temptation of Christ.” It sparked furious protests when it opened here, then went on to fizzle at the Israeli box office.

There has been some concern and discussion about the way the Jews are portrayed in Gibson's film, but for the most part Israelis seem to have better things to do than bothering with it.

Read More:

• Roman Catholicism
• Antisemitism
• News and Commentary on Mel Gibson's The Passion