Israel Matzav: This ought to do wonders for our relations with the Turks

This ought to do wonders for our relations with the Turks

A Turkish film company that once released a film showing a Jewish doctor stealing organs from Muslims in Iraq is going to release a film set in 'Palestine' in November.

"Valley of the Wolves: Palestine" is projected to cost over e10 million, making it one of the most expensive Turkish films.

Scheduled for a November release, the new project follows the 2006 feature "Valley of the Wolves: Iraq."

That film, which showed American soldiers running amok in northern Iraq, racked up 4.2 million ticket sales in Turkey and accusations of rampant anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism.

"After Iraq, we decided that in the next Polat movie we are going to tell again an international story," said scriptwriter Bahadir Ozdener, sitting in an office lined with antique cameras in Nisantasi, an upscale Istanbul neighborhood.

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In the new film Ozdener says his intention is "to shed light on the history, on what's really going on in Palestine."

He described the conflict as "a very good example of the imperialists' targets".
Turkey is a long-time NATO member, a traditional ally of the United States, and a friend of Israel's since the mid-1990s.

The country has a secular constitution, but Turks are Muslim and Valley of the Wolves reflects some sentiments that may not always be sympathetic towards Israel.

"The narrative of the serial is an alternative narrative to what is going on," added Orhan Tekelioglu, an academic who has written about the show in his column in the Radikal newspaper.

"It simply says, Turkey is under the attack of foreign powers, firstly the U.S., secondly Israel."

I don't know about the rest of you Israelis, but I am tiring of the Turks. When they were a secular country with a large Muslim population, they were a good bridge to the Muslim world, but since they've essentially become Islamic, I don't see the difference between them and Egypt, Jordan or Lebanon. We don't need another hostile country among our 'friends.' I don't trust the Turks.

Israel Matzav: This ought to do wonders for our relations with the Turks