Bill conditioning arts funding on 'loyalty' clears first Knesset hurdle

A bill that would allow the culture of the world to be voted in favor of cultural organizations "that are working against the principles of the state" of its first Knesset vote on Monday night after an hours-long, furious parliamentary debate.

The law, proposed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and supported by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. It requires two more readings to become law.

The so-called Culture Loyalty Law would allow the government to engage in the funding of organizations or events that characterize any of five topics or themes: denial that the State of Israel is a Jewish, democratic country; incitement of racism, violence, or terror; support for the armed struggle or acts of terror against Israel by an enemy state; Israel's Independence Day as a day of mourning; or any act of destruction or physical degradation of the flag or any state symbol.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories

Free Sign Up

While the Finance Ministry is currently responsible for final decisions, Regev's bill would transfer full power over budgets for the arts to herself.

Critics say the law will be more important than the state of censorship over the arts.

Presenting the bill to the Knesset Chamber on Monday, Regev insisted it did not undermine freedom of speech and called the legislation "correct and worthy."

"There is no harm here to freedom of speech and art. There is no intention to silence people stifle criticism, "said the culture minister.

"A handful of artists, who have not really read the law and do not understand it, are trying to mislead the public and use their artistic internship for political purposes," added the Likud Minister.

The proposed law was criticized by seething opposition members.

"There is no culture if the government controls it," said opposition leader Tzipi Livni. "Instead of culture, we'll get propaganda."

Many Israeli artists "love the state, but sometimes want to express themselves in this way, and this is what makes the world feel like it, and we should be proud of it," added Livni.

Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said Israel Regev's aims. He was referring to the unenforced so-called "Nakba" law, which allows the government to withhold funding from organizations or events that present Israel's establishment as a "disaster," according to the Palestinian narrative.

"We have all the tools to stop incitement against the State of Israel. What we lack is a functioning government. "Instead of fooling everyone, get up in the morning and go to no problem of incitement, and stop with all these fabrications," said Lapid.

Regev has made numerous threats to the state of cultural funding, and has decided to adopt the following criteria:

Two years ago, she walked out of the Ophir awards – Israel's counterpart of the Oscars – when a poem by late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish was read, because his work contains objections to the existence of a Jewish state.

She also panned last year's critically acclaimed movie "Foxtrot" as a defamation of Israel. The story of parents grieving their loss is largely allegorical, but Regev insisted the film – which includes a scene of IDF soldiers committing a crime war – amounted to "self-flogging and cooperation with the anti-Israel narrative." release, Regev asked the Israeli film funds to provide detailed information about the approval process for movies, in an attempt to clamp down on the state of government.

Earlier this month, Regev asked the Finance Ministry to review the financing of the Haifa International Film Festival, due to the screening of "subversive" movies. The Walla news site reported that the two movies to attract the minister were "Out," which tells the story of an IDF soldier who joins a right-wing organization that tries to damage the reputation of human rights activists, and "Acre Dreams "Which depicts a love affair between a Jew and an Arab at the time of the British Mandate.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.