[BBC News ] Magdi Abdelhadi - An Israeli film has been shown in Cairo for the first time since Egypt and Israel agreed on a peace deal nearly 30 years ago. The award-winning Israeli film, "The Band's Visit," was shown for a selected audience that included about 30 Egyptians at a hotel in Cairo on Thursday. The event was not advertised in advance. The film was not allowed to be shown at the Cairo International Film Festival last year after fierce opposition from Egyptian and Arab artists, since opposition to any cultural or economic ties with Israel remains very strong in Egypt. The campaign against normalizing ties with Israel enjoys broad support among the public and Israel is often described by Egyptian intellectuals as the enemy. Some remain radically opposed to the idea of a Jewish state founded 60 years ago on what they still regard as Arab land.
2008-07-16 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive