British Airways said it didn’t want to “take sides” in the conflict. It demonstrates this by preventing people from viewing a Jewish sitcom that has nothing to do with the war. If that seems like “taking sides” to you, it’s only because you’re sane.
“Jewish sitcom ‘paused’ from airline’s inflight entertainment,” by Adam Mawardi, Telegraph, December 15, 2023:
British Airways has paused plans to stream a Jewish sitcom on its flights owing to alleged concerns it could trigger a backlash in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.
The airline delayed plans to add the comedy series Hapless, which has been shown on Netflix and Amazon Prime, to its in-flight entertainment system to avoid any appearance of taking sides in the ongoing conflict.
The satire follows misadventures of a London-based cynical journalist for a fictional Jewish newspaper and has been called the British version of the US sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm.
British Airways in August agreed to buy the first season with plans to make it available for passengers to watch for six months from December.
However, the airline paused the £20,000 deal just days after the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel on Oct 7.
Gary Sinyor, the writer and director, was informed of the decision by Spafax Media, an international media specialist hired by airlines to secure licensing rights to movies and television shows for in-flight entertainment.
The award-winning director, who is Jewish, claimed he was told that British Airways did not want to “take sides” in the conflict by screening the six-episode season and wanted to delay the deal until after the war was over….
Mr Sinyor told The Telegraph: “The series has nothing to do with Israel-Palestine. I mean, other than that the Jewish people live in Israel and that Israel is a Jewish state, it has nothing to do with it.
“I think what it shows is a fear of being perceived as being pro Israel just because it’s got Jewish characters in it.”…
“I think that the Muslim community would be concerned as well if they found that things that had Muslim humour in them, or Muslim content or were being made by Muslim filmmakers were being vetoed in this way, even if it’s a temporary veto.”…
David Fahey says
So, in its pursuit of ‘not taking sides” in the war between Israel and HAMAS, is British Airways removing Arabic-language programming from its in-flight offerings?
I suspect not….What cowards.
VictorMc says
Usual unspeakable rubbish from these sorts of ignorant companies. WE all know what this means BA.
OLD GUY says
Maybe they will remove the muslim baggage handlers and workers from the airports, for safety reasons of a backlash against non-muslims? Makes more sense than removing a SITCOM.
Jennifer U Anaya says
🙄 wgaf? Some loser is always gonna be unhappy with anything. If you planned it. Do it. Butt hurt isn’t an affliction.
Big Dude says
Shame on you England.
Why don’t you kick out the royal family, bow to Mecca, and get this damned charade over with
Why don’t you say what you really feel … that Shariah Law will keeo your viriginal beauties in England in tow.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Is it really needed? I believe that his majesty will happily embrace islam, let go of the Church of England, and start a new sect called the Mosque of England, or whatever. It will then be up to the rest of the British population to convert to islam, or be second class citizens, or leave
VictorMc says
Of course.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I had no idea that British Airways was still around. I thought everybody flew in carriers owned by the Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait these days
Wellington says
Another dhimmi capitulation. And capitulation to totalitarian evil never ends well. The malevolent, barbaric and destructive element of mankind must fear the forces of civilization and not the other way around (a present example would be Hamas fearing Israel and not Israel fearing Hamas).
It’s the same old story. The good must be dominant over the bad—or else.
somehistory says
Translation of the “trigger a backlash”….They are afraid the mozlum hordes will descend upon the airport, take over flights, and whatever they can do to in the way of chaos they can create to cause fear and further appeasement they wish to see toward islam and it’s gutter *superiority*….they are the lowest of the low in the gutter.
“backlash”: mozlums acting out their normalophobia.
Pray Hard says
Where’s the crying coward emoji?
James Lincoln says
The UK is now like the frog being boiled alive…
bill says
I can see the arguments but I believe an aircraft at 30,000 feet is not a place where you want some idiot going bat sh*t crazy over a video. We have seen the sort of insane responses people are giving to the Israel-Hamas situation, the vast majority from the palestinian supporters side of course.
Jim says
This is just another reason to not allow any more Muslim immigration into Christian, Jewish or Hindu and Buddhist countries. If you have to be afraid of them and try to appease them, then they are not equal citizens, they are privileged ones. Why should they have the privilege to commit violence to express their religious values if other religious groups cannot and do not?
Rick Olsha says
AM YISRAEL CHAI !!!!!!