Regev heckled during speech in south

Culture Minister Miri Regev was disrupted during a speech she made during the Darom cinema festival taking place at the Sderot cinematheque.

The heckler was none other than Aner Preminger, a prominent lecturer at the Sapir College’s School for Voice and Screen Art.

Regev went on stage to speak ahead of the screening of shorts directed by graduates of the school and was interrupted by the professor, who was applauded by students supportive of his views. Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi, who was present, tried to restore calm and at one point security guards even approached Preminger in order to allow the minister to continue her speech uninterrupted, NRG reported.

Speaking to the Hebrew website, Preminger explained his actions: “I did not unplug her mic or not let her speak. I said the duty of culture is to really allow everyone to sound their voice and the minister, in what she said, actually blocked some of the voices, and this is what I see as so serious.”

“Censorship starts when people are afraid. She is actually saying: you will receive funding, but don’t delegitimize [Israel]. If a person makes movies and starts being afraid, is it delegitimizing or not? Lecturers are going to start being afraid of what they say and what they avoid saying during class. As soon as she says these things she doesn’t understand what pluralism means,” he continues.

Regev for her part said, “I am happy to see what is happening here. This is pluralism, pluralism that will be expressed in Ariel, in Kiryat Shmona, Nazareth and Sderot. We will support those who do not delegitimize the State of Israel. With all honor to the professor, those who want support from the Culture and Sports Ministry should not delegitimize the State of Israel.

The festival lasts for five days, and has been taking place since 2002.