'The pillar of fire by night, to shew them light': Israeli broadcasting, the Supreme Court and the Zionist narrative

Title'The pillar of fire by night, to shew them light': Israeli broadcasting, the Supreme Court and the Zionist narrative
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsAmit M. Schejter
JournalMedia, Culture & Society
Volume29
Issue6
Pagination916-933
ISSN01634437
Abstract

This article discusses cases in which the Israeli Supreme Court was asked to block the broadcasting of television programs produced by the national broadcaster - the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) - on the grounds that they purportedly misrepresented historical truths. The article shows, through various examples, how the court uses its ideological biases in order to serve the dominant interpretation of the history of Zionism and to perpetuate this interpretation by providing it with a judicial stamp of approval. Providing relevant background to the events portrayed in these television programs and the ideological controversies surrounding them, the article describes how the court's traditional interpretation of Zionism, as well as its long-established view of the role of media in society, contribute to its decisions, and, consequently, how the court has joined the media in creating the 'mediated/imagined' Israeli community.

DOI10.1177/0163443707081695
Short Title'The pillar of fire by night, to shew them light'