A Pretty Excuse for an Ugly Accusation

September 4, 2006 - 10:30 AM by

barrefaeli.jpg

Until now, the most controversial question surrounding Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli is whether her relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio is real or a sham, and whether Leo’s ex-model-girlfriend Gisele Bundchen torpedoed Bar’s Victoria’s Secret contract.

But reading an article in the French press, John from Kishkushim found that everything Israeli becomes political.

Two days ago, I found myself in dire need of some divertissement on my long trans-Atlantic flight from Tel Aviv to Montreal via Paris. The first few hours of my flight went quite well. I passed the time enjoying my Air France dinner, watching another ridiculous movie (“Nacho Libre”) and reading a stack of newspapers. Tired of Le Figaro and the Herald Tribune, I got up and went to the magazine stack where I picked up a copy of the weekly Le Point. Gracing the first page was a picture of none other than the somewhat controversial Israeli super-model, Bar Refa’eli. The piece accompanying the picture was a fluffy article by Patrick Besson about his summer vacation in Serbia….Besson, who turns out to be a real connoisseur of women’s magazines (perhaps he should write for Elle, rather than a news magazine that competes with L’Express), devotes an entire paragraph to Refa’eli. I personally don’t care much for Refa’eli, her Victoria’s Secret commercials or her acting. What caught my attention was the way in which Besson used Ref’aeli in his story as a cover for some hard core Israel bashing. Talking about Refa’eli’s newest project, Besson writes:

”Elle [Refa'eli] tourne son premier film en Afrique du Sud où il n’y a plus d’apartheid, ce qui risqué de la surprendre car dans son pays il y en a encore un.”

“She is shooting her first film in South Africa where there is no longer any apartheid, something that might surprise her given that it still exists in her country”

I don’t want to get into the injustice of the apartheid lie….What disgusts me in Besson’s writing is the glibness with which he bashes Israel. For him, it’s another colourful comment for his “pastiche”. Besson feels no need to reflect about his words, because for him, bashing Israel is as banal and chic as putting down a super-model.

Tags: • Category: Pop Culture 

Comments

3 Comments on A Pretty Excuse for an Ugly Accusation

  1. David on Mon, Sep 4th 2006 8:11 PM

    2. Leonardo de Caprio? God! Does she really like such wimpish looking men in addition to him not being Jewish.

    As for the French – in the United States, these days France is considered with much scorn. They are a joke. They side with the enemy. And even in auto racing the joke is that French drivers only start fights with their helmets on.

    So why be surprised when a French journalist makes bizarre comments?

    As for South Africa – it is a country no longer friendly towards Israel. It allies itself with undemocratic capricious nations that stand against the United States, and itself, is no friend of America either.

  2. Steve on Mon, Sep 4th 2006 8:24 PM

    3. Too bad he couldn’t just admire the view . . . instead of cluttering it up with his ugly and bigoted viewpoint! You’d think after more than 100 years of blatant French antisemitism they’d get tired of it, but I guess it will always be in style there!

  3. Steve on Mon, Sep 4th 2006 8:26 PM

    4. You can drop the second sentence if that helps.

Leave a Comment





© 2012 ISRAELITY | Sitemap