Latma's Palestinian Competition--Watan ala Watar

Al Jazeera reported on the comedy group Watan ala Watar in September 2009:

Palestinians are enjoying a new take on politics through political satire, an art form that remains rare in the Arab world.

The popular sitcom "Watan ala Watar" (Country on a String), a sketch comedy show that debuted on Palestine TV during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, has become a smash hit.

The show is boldly going where few sitcoms have gone before - poking fun at the people in charge, and on their very own official government station.

Here is the video report Al Jazeera gave at the time:



Like Latma, Watan ala Watar also uses biting satire to make its point.
That made it very popular a year ago.
That same biting satire is making Watan ala Watar very unpopular now:

Already, two groups have filed lawsuits against "Watan ala Watar" and Palestine TV, claiming the show has harmed their reputation. The police and the doctors groups filed the suits in Palestinian courts, demanding compensation and a stop to the show. In the show, police were portrayed as getting drunk from smelling the breath of a drunk person, and doctors were portrayed as not caring about the life of their patient.

"Officials are more tense this year than before," Faragin said. "I imagine the reason is because of the Arab Spring. They are afraid that too much criticism may lead them to the same fate as other Arab officials."

Faragin said he is worried that the negative reaction from officials may force cancellation of the show.

"I did not receive any personal threats, but there definitely was huge pressure directed mainly at me," he said. "This is proof to me that the show had an impact, and this is why officials seem concerned by its message."

Maybe the problem is that Palestinian Arabs still don't get that whole freedom of speech thing:

“We support criticism and freedom of expression, but only in a positive way,” [spokesman for the PA security forces, Adnan] Damiri was quoted by the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper as saying. [emphasis added]

Some might argue that might be a bit limiting.

Truth be told, I'm not sure that Imad Farrajeen, one of the show's producers, makes his point so well either:

I was expecting the doctors and their union to be more open-minded and tolerant toward criticism,” he said. “I was surprised because the complaint came from a group of educated people. Are there no medical mistakes in our hospitals? Are there no complaints to the courts against some doctors? Haven’t doctors and hospitals in the past paid compensation to families of people who died as a result of mistakes?

One piece of advice for Watan ala Watar: post your shows on YouTube in English.

Technorati Tag: Middle East and Satire.