(IINS News Service -Israel-3/12)
Yehoram Gaon, the moderator of the prestigious television documentary series of the state- sponsored Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) reviewing Israel's first 50 years, has resigned. In his letter of resignation from the Tekumah (Reestablishment) series, Gaon, one of Israel's outstanding singers and a deputy-mayor of Jerusalem, stated that he was unable to continue to be a part of the program, due to its overly biased pro-Arab views.

Gaon, who is not politically affiliated with the Israeli right, shocked the show's organizers with his resignation.

Gaon told the producers of the Channel 1 TV series that he could not tolerate one of the episodes, during which Arab terrorists, responsible for killing many Israelis in the 1970s, were seen to be glorified on the show.

Over the past two months, since the weekly show began, hundreds of letters are reported to have been received by the IBA, the Prime Minister's office, which is responsible for the IBA, as well as the Education Ministry questioning the judgement of airing a series which is supposed to document history, but has a very obvious left-wing slant.

Israel's Media Watch (IMW) has called upon the Prime Minister, at the very least, to halt commercial distribution of cassettes of the series until an independent board of academics and historians reviews the series.

The following text is adapted from Arutz 7 News Service, Wednesday, March 11, 1998 / Adar 13, 5758. As a public service, we bring to your attention its content.

Israeli singer Yehoram Gaon, not known for his right-wing views, has resigned from television series Tekumah (Uprising or Revival), because of what he called its "admiration for the Palestinians."

In a letter to the producers of the Channel One show, Gaon mentioned specifically the episode entitled "Biladi, Biladi" (My Homeland, My Homeland) as the main reason for his resignation. That episode, which is scheduled to be broadcast in a month, glorifies the terrorists who attacked Israelis during the 70's.

Deputy Education Minister Moshe Peled told Arutz-7 that he has received hundreds of letters and phone calls protesting against the series, and he has called for it to be taken off the air immediately. Peled said that he was shocked by the blatant slant of the program. "The stage given to the left-wing on Israeli television is totally unbalanced, and presents half-truths under the guise of 'documented history.'... I am alarmed at the negative messages that the youth who watch this program receive about their country."

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