Miki Zohar flexed his muscles against 'Nezha' – but lost the real battle

Dr. Zvi Elhayani argues that Culture Minister Miki Zohar's response to the film 'Nezha' is a show of force in the wrong place, while in his own ministry, the cultural establishment has not changed and has become more extreme under his tenure. The article criticizes Zohar for loudly condemning barbarism while continuing to grant budgets and platforms to the power centers that produce it.

Dr. Zvi Elhayani, an architect and member of the Professors for National Strength circle, analyzes in his article the response of Culture Minister Miki Zohar to the film 'Nezha', which won an award at the Venice Film Festival. Zohar approached the Ministry of the Interior with a request to examine revoking the citizenship of the film's creators, but Elhayani claims this is a show of force in a place where he has no power. In contrast, in Zohar's own ministry, nearly four years after taking office, the cultural establishment has not only not changed, but has become more extreme and gained confidence to act as a political opposition from within the establishment. The article lists a series of examples: publicly funded films portraying IDF soldiers negatively, cultural institutions that joined the Kaplan protests, Palestinian flags in supported institutions, and conferences spreading accusations against Israel. Elhayani argues that Zohar loudly condemns barbarism, while his ministry continues to grant the power centers that produce it budgets, platforms, representation, and awards.