Ajami co-director ahead of the Oscars: I don't represent Israel

Israel's actions in the occupation have shown that Israel no longer represents many of us. It has striven for land and security at a cost to our heritage of Judaic values.

Israel did not support the making of the movie because of the director - it was trying to build up its film industry and bring it more onto the international stage. His project worked, and it did just that. He owes nothing to Israel which supported him as a measure to build up the film industry.

Let this imbecile go to Gaza,and represent hamas instead.Why do we endorse,finance and tolerate this kind of anti Israeli sentiment.

Bravo, Mr. Ajami, don't sell the natural aspirations of an ancestral people on aqnd in their homeland. Jewish Israeli Mikhael

he doesn t have to represent israel its clearly a palestinian - israeli film thats all

He is an Arab-Israeli, and everybody knows Arab-Israelis are treated as second class citizens in Israel. So we don't hear the usual nonsense about Muslims being Nazis on this board -- because he happens to be a Christian, and so when some of you say "these people" I guess you're just talking about Arabs as an ethnic group. "These people" are ungrateful. "These people" will never accept Israel, etc. Well, if Israel would live up to its true ideals as a fully secular, liberal democracy, maybe there would be room to treat its minorities as full citizens. ps I can't even believe the 1 or 2 references to ethnic cleansing I've read among the comments.

And your arguments are certainly not to the point discussed, just spreading your anti-Israel venom.

Because sh cannot refute the facts.

The reason for his comment clearly stated. What is it all you dunces condemn him for? Is there something you can't understand about his reasoning? Is he supposed to wave the Israeli flag and proclaim how proud he is to be an oppressed second class citizen of the state of Israel? "The film technically represents Israel, but I don't". Simple as that folks. Pull your heads out!

Which should be confined to Palestinian Sephardim.

Viva Compti!!!!!

You claim that the settlers have the right idea. So we know where you're coming from: pro-apartheid, proto-fascist, pro land theft. Asking you to understand where this young director is coming from is like asking George Wallace to appreciate the sentiments Spike Lee. What reasons do Palestinians have to be happy? Israeli Arabs are given second class status and those in the territories have no status at all. TEAM COPTI ALL THE WAY.

Boy does anyone like Israel---I wonder why.

While screaming death to America and voting against the USA in the UN. Then there is ther small matter of occupying Kurdistan.

"There`s an Arab director, a Jewish director" What is the correct adjective for an Arab who converts to Judaism? Arab or Jewish?

Actually the film was co-produced by companies in Germany and Israel. Apparently, working with German money and then labeling the product as Israeli is not worth mentioning in Israeli media. Those who want to know must turn to Wikipedia ...

He is right...the film represents Israel and he does not. What does everyone expect him to say or feel?

Simply put this guy is a jerk and in turn I hope the film does not win an oscar...He sounds like a selfish,boorish hater who got money from Israel to make this film and then decided to slap Israel in the face the first chance he got. There are a lot of words to describe him but I will not go there...I will just say he is a perfect example of what Israel faces on a daily basis.

Enough of this pandering to the 'underdog': political correctness will lead directly to a massive middle east war, no doubt. The leftists have strong armed the world into a idealistic perspective that is void of realism and truth. ITS ALL A BIG FAT LIE. When Israel supports the artistic endeavors of palestinian talent, they take the money then stab you in the back! Israelis should get a clue and NEVER support the palestinians: THEY WILL NEVER SUPPORT ISRAEL. Ingrates. Enough is enough!!! To hel- with the PA,Hamas, Hezbollah and their ranks and file: these people DO NOT WANT PEACE! The settlers have the right idea. 'Nuff said!

Investing money in a film does not buy the director's heart and soul (political or otherwise). Many of those who post here need to get past their bizarre nationalistic fervor- so primitive.

Taking the money of a sponsor doesn't mean you represent the sponsor. The sponsor invests in the hope of getting something in exchange and that's usually money or reflected glory, not an expression of eternal gratitude. And in the case of any resident of Jaffa who isn't Jewish, it's hard to argue that the country represents them or their interests. Go take a look at the names on the doorbells of the plush new apartments overlooking the ocean, the religious nationalist implantations that have been sprouting like mushrooms. Roam around a bit and look at the rotting back streets, the potholes, the once beautiful buildings that are encouraged to crumble. Jaffa's no more than an hour or so away from you.

I did not feel treated fairly in country of my birth - USSR. So realising I can not change the State,I changed myself. I left. Reasonable thing to do. Copti has a right not to feel Israely. Then He should do what I did. Go to a better place. A man of his talant will be sucesseful everywhere. Just to help, why he does not go to Turkey. They love there movies about Israel

Israel and her apartheid apologists are so soaked in hypocrisy, they long ago ceased to make sense.

All his/her posts wreak of racism. Needs to change name ASAP.

Funding does not dictate a director's feelings (political or otherwise). You cannot expect the apartheid apologists who post on Haaretz to understand that.

Here is an Israeli Arab rejectinh his country! Then people ask why the Israeli government does not invest in a much Arab towns in Israel. There is your answer.

The film 'Ajami' might be entered into the competition by Israel but it is a co-production by Inosan Productions, Twenty Twenty Vision und ZDF/Das kleine Fernsehspiel. Inosan is an Israeli firm. Twenty Twenty is registered in Berlin. ZDF is the second German television channel. As is normal in co-productions, the finances are shared by the partners, so I guess it was not only Israel which paid for this film. So please get off your high nationalist horses.

That teaches a good lesson to Israeli officials. Never give funding to ungrateful people!

Israel defines itself as a Jewish state, thereby excluding 25% of those Israelis who are non-Jews. Which explains why people like Scandar Copti don't want to represent a state that does not represent them. It does not matter, whether part of the financing of the film came from Israeli state institutions. I am sure that it did not come on condition that the film would be represented as a national production. There isn't even an Israeli nationality. It is interesting that the Supreme Court is due to rule on an appeal by 21 Israelis, Jews and non-Jews, who are demanding that the Interior Ministry register all of them as belonging to the Israeli nation. So far on previous occasions the Supreme Court refused to acknowledge the existence of an Israeli nation. As long as Israel does not become the state of all its citizens Scandar Copti is right to point out that he cannot represent a state that does not represent him.

movie brings Israel an Oscar..

which came first? the film or the troubles the film discribes? since i have many close friends who live and work in the area since the 1950's when my father-in-law had a shop there i am sure this is a mountain without a mole-hill to support it.

Israelis talk about how Arab-Israelis can vote, but their votes don't really mean anything. They are not equal. Jewish only villages are built. There is little integration. They are more likely to have poor services and have less development. He got funding, that's true, but the land is his home. He chose to highlight the prejudice.

It is sad that Mr. Copti chose to wait until the night of the Oscars to make such a political statement. He has the right to feel what he wants and personally I don't care if he feels Palestinian and not Israeli. However he and his co-director applied and accepted money from government sources and as such the film represents Israel. The Oscars are non-political and his comments are disrespectful to his own people many of whom won't agree with them. Does he actually believe that Christian Arabs live better in Moslem countries?

I agree, all should learn to live in peaceful co-existence. Everyone should have equal rights. But there needs to be some points of information on this: One, Tel Aviv was founded when the Arabs of Jaffa would not allow any more Jewish Palestinians to live there. Two, Jewish Palestinians have never, I repeat, never been subject to anything like equal rights under Arab/Muslim rule, even in their own country. Three, until 1948 Jewish Palestinians did not live on previously Arab/Muslim owned property unless it was purchased, usually at exorbitant rates. Four, in 1948 it was Arab Palestinians and their religio-racially inspired allies who started the fighting against Jewish Palestinians. Five, anyone who truly believes in peaceful coexistence ought to direct their words and protests at the perpetrators, not the victims, as is so often done in anti-Israeli protesting.

I full agree with you. We need more people like you in this world.

Israeli Arabs should have equal rights with Jews as a minority in a Jewish State within the Green Line, and the Israeli government should represent that minority as well. Jews in a Palastinian state should have equal rights as a minority in a Palstinian State on the West Bank and Gaza, and a Palastinian government should represent that minority as well. This is all painfully obvious, and it equally painfully obvious that this will take generations to achieve if it is ever achieved at all. Thank you, religious and nationalist chauvinists, of all stripes, from the West Bank Yeshivas to the Islamic fundamentalists to the Palastinain mainstream that can't recognize or respect the cultural or national rights of Jews, for perpetuating the conflict. The only god you serve is Molach. Have a nice day.

He has every right not to feel Israeli and not to want to represent, Israel. Democracy allows this.

If according to one of the film director this film doesn't represent a country, the nomination should be withdrawn from the foreign film category

After the 6 day war a wall should have been built and no arabs on the israeli side - brutal but no occupation and the Jordanians and Egyptians could deal with the pals

"There's a Palestinian director, an Israeli director, Palestinian actors and Israeli actors" Tel Aviv - Jaffo is in Israel. There's an Arab director, a Jewish director, Arab actors and Jewish actors, all of them Israelis from Tel Aviv - Jaffo.

Taking financial support for making this film from the Israeli Ministry of culture is fine, but "he does not represent Israel". What country does he represent? May be he should move to that country "that is his own" to make his films there.....

refuse it if he feels so strongly about it? PS Why not apply for a green card while you are there Mr Co director sir or better still go to Hamastan where artistic freedom flourishes.

But taking Israeli money to make his film he has no problem with . Hypocrit , you are Israeli , and you can't change it .

Well if you don't represent Israel, perhaps you should find another source of funding. I'm sure Saudi Arabia, Iran, et al would be happy to bankroll such films (assuming you remove al female characters or wrap them in burkahs.).

So the movie is done on Israeli money but does not represent Israel. OK, next time Israel will not give money, the guy will get it from the Palestinian Autonomy and his new film will represent what?... This is quite silly and childish what he says and how he acts. If he is so proud of his origins, why did he took the money from the damned oppressors?

Are they doing wonderful humanitarian work, doctors, feeding the poor, inventing science useful to man. Film work is very ego orientated. Money and prestige hollywood style is not the things that make a difference to the many. Yes they do not represent israel. It is just a film after all. Hopefully they will get rich on it and live the life. Does that represent the values that we all want to shout "Israel" They represent themselves. I can think of thousands of Israelis that contribute more.

He is correct...all the smiling talking heads on the news are happy with "our" Oscar potential... but have no problem forgetting or ignoring that in Ajami a Jews only development is going up or that Yafo is not exactly 100 years old and that parts of SOuth Tel Aviv are actually Yafo... Yes it seems that for Israeli Jews Ajami is for Jews only, the 'glory' of the Oscar, the opportunity for Jews only gentrification (and religious zionist Jews at that...)