Israeli deputy foreign minister stars in anti-Islam film

The Israeli daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, reported on Wednesday that the Israeli Foreign Ministry has produced a film called ‘The fact about Jerusalem’ which contains “provocative content” about the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The film will not be published, the newspaper said, for fear of causing a “wide wave of anger” among Muslims around the world.

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The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Danny Ayalon, plays a main role in the film the newspaper claimed. Throughout the film he gives a “distorted” historical narrative about the holy city and at one point is seen standing in front of the Dome of the Rock. He also speaks about the relationship between Jerusalem and Jews.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has produced a series of films bearing the words “The Fact…” in their title. These include, ‘The fact about the Jewish Refugees’, ‘The fact about the West Bank’ and ‘The Fact about the Peace Process’.

These films, which have been translated in to several languages, have been viewed millions of times around the world.

However, while this film was uploaded onto Ayalon’s personal website, it was banned from being officially published for fear of provoking a “wide wave of anger among Muslims around the world,” according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

In this film, Ayalon appears wandering around the outskirts of Jerusalem and speaking about the freedom of religion that followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism are enjoying under Israeli rule in the holy city.

At one point of the film, Ayalon appears reading from what looks to be a copy of the Torah while standing in front of the Dom of the Rock. In the background, the Dome of the Rock disappears and a shape of the so-called Jewish Temple appears in its place.

The Israeli daily reported that Ayalon defended the film by saying: “This is to showcase the religious freedom for the followers of the three religions in the region. This is a reversal of what is going on in the neighbouring Arab countries which does not respect the rights of minorities.”