Is Israel Always to Blame? What I Discovered in the Reactions to the Turkish Series 'Somud' | Tiki Tabro
Tiki Tabro watched the Turkish series 'Somud' and found that the most interesting story is in the viewer reactions. She claims that Israelis are portrayed negatively and one-dimensionally, and brings examples of reactions about a head covering perceived as a hijab and support for banning a relationship between a Jew and a Muslim woman. She asks where the complex Israelis are, and concludes that the reactions reflect an image that has become the default.
In a personal opinion column, Tiki Tabro describes her experience watching the Turkish series 'Somud' as an Israeli, and discovers that the most interesting story is not on screen but in the viewer reactions. She notes that Israelis are portrayed in the series in a negative, one-dimensional, and uncomplex way, and that the reactions accept this picture as self-evident. Tabro highlights a recurring reaction about a religious Israeli character with a head covering, perceived by Turkish viewers as a hijab, indicating mutual unfamiliarity. Another reaction that surprised her was support for the statement that a Jew and a Muslim woman should not be together, illustrating the emotional discourse the series generates around Israeli and Jewish identity. She asks where the complex Israelis are, who work, love, and raise children, and notes that the reactions reflect how a certain image of Israel has become the default for some viewers. According to her, the series ends, but the image left in the viewer's mind continues to influence.