Israeli Rabbi Ends Interview Over Antisemitic Accusations in Anti-Israel Film
Sefi Goldzahler, head of the Ruach Gdola yeshiva, participated in an interview for the anti-Israel documentary 'Planet Israel' by British-American Jewish filmmaker Gillian Mosley, but terminated the interview upon encountering antisemitic and false accusations. The film, currently screening worldwide, accuses Israel and the IDF of severe misconduct, including denying Arab citizens rights and alleging sexual assaults by Israeli soldiers. Goldzahler described the interview as initially standard but quickly devolved into baseless claims, prompting him to leave.
Despite ending the interview, Goldzahler believes agreeing to participate was correct, as he was the only interviewee to directly confront and expose the filmmaker's falsehoods. He noted that Mosley’s film presents extreme anti-Zionist views, as acknowledged in a Haaretz Gallery article questioning why all her interviewees are far-left critics of Israel. The film promotes a theory that Israel acts out of post-trauma, likening it to an abused child who becomes an abuser, and repeats the discredited Shde Yamim blood libel.
Goldzahler recorded a video after the interview, recounting the exchange and criticizing the filmmaker and her crew as "two antisemitic British Jewish women denying the Holocaust." He urged the Israeli government to prevent such filmmakers from entering Israel to produce defamatory content abroad. He also emphasized Israel’s lack of an official public diplomacy front, calling on citizens to take responsibility for defending the country’s image.
Regarding the filmmaker’s motives, Goldzahler traced her background to an anti-Zionist Jewish grandfather opposed to the Balfour Declaration, reflecting longstanding ideological divisions within the London Jewish community. He argued that Israel must uphold moral standards that prioritize victory and justice alongside kindness, to legitimize its actions internationally. He concluded that projecting strength and success is crucial for global support, more so than seeking approval through perceived goodwill.
