The director general of the UAE Media Corporation, confirmed that the program Erhabiyyat aired by Abu Dhabi TV during Ramadan will continue despite of the Israeli protest.
The director general of the corporation, Ahmed Ali Al Baloushi, told the UAE daily Al Bayan, “As the program has miffed the Israeli government, it will continue, yet, we won’t hesitate to produce a second part if necessary,” Baloushi told the daily.
Responding to the comments of the Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres in which he described the program as “ugly and terrible”, Abu Dhabi Radio and TV director, Ismael Abdulla said, “Peres seems to have lost the spirit of fun,” adding that “Israel should seriously review its policy and stop shooting and killing the Palestinians instead of blasting the media.” He noted the Arab poet Al Mutanabbi who said, “if a deficient person condemns me, this is a testimony that I am perfect.”
Earlier the program starred by the Kuwaiti actor Daoud Hussein has sparked an Israeli protest, which reached its climax, when the Israeli foreign minister, Shimon Peres, labelled the program as “ugly and terrible”.
Responding to Peres remarks, the Kuwaiti artist Daoud Hussein said, “as long as the Israeli officials think that the program is ugly and terrible, don’t you think that what goes on in Palestine by Sharon is ugly and terrible. I as a comedy artist who tackles a just Arab and Muslim issue through comedy. Islam taught us to respect other religions and our program does not attack any religion.”
“Sharon committed massacres and killed many people and what we portray is very little compared to he has done. Where is the democracy they are calling for? Hollywood produces films against Arabs and Muslims and what we portray is nothing but a drop of water in an ocean,” added Hussein.
The Kuwaiti actor indicates that the program is a medallion on his chest as long as it has affected the Zionist regime. He adds that he is proud of it as long as he lives and that he is happy to perform in such a program. “In Belgium there are many cases against Sharon for his massacres in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla in Lebanon,” Hussein added.
For his part, the Kuwaiti director Ahmed Al Doughji said, “Israel fought against Arabs and Muslims for long and no side has done like what Israel has done. What we tackled is a real thing through which we reveal the brutality of Sharon.”
“We have received many letters and contacts of congratulations and hailing for the program. What we portray is a simple service by the cast for the Palestinian issue which is considered one of he most important Arab and Muslim issues,” Doghji added.
Responding to a question on the change of the program’s name from Sharoniyyat (Sharon’s Diary) to Erhabiyyat (Terrorism Diary), Doghji said, “the change has come out of our wish to avoid gratifying this person and not as a result of pressure.”
Earlier the Israeli government accuses Abu Dhabi satellite channel of airing articles against Jews within its comedy programs during the month of Ramadhan including Erhabiyyat.
The Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres accused the channel of airing a comedy program, which portrays the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a vampire. He said that he would send a protest memorandum to the UN against the channel. Peres labeled the program in an interview with the Israeli army radio as ugly and terrible.
Among the screenshots aired, Hussein plays Sharon carrying a bottle full of blood from Arab children and expressing his delight with drinking this blood in front of another delighted character representing an extremist Jew.
Sunday’s episode portrayed a cartoon for a donkey rubbing a magic lantern from which a giant emerges asking the donkey what he wants. The donkey responds that he wants to be transformed into a human being. The giant tells him I shall transform you into a human being called Sharon. The donkey shouted with regrets preferring to stay as a donkey rather than to become Sharon.
The Israeli radio said that the government decided to lunch a campaign against Abu Dhabi TV channel through sending versions of this program to foreign embassies – Albawaba.com
