Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev has added another successful act of provocation to her public resume and managed yet again to dominate Israel's media agenda. As she put it, the “Jerusalem of Gold” gown that she wore May 17 on the red carpet at the opening of the 70th Festival de Cannes was intended “to make Jerusalem a topic of discussion.”

For anyone who missed the uproar on social networks and in the traditional media, Regev wrapped herself in an ugly and cumbersome gown with an especially wide hem printed with huge images from Jerusalem, prominently the Temple Mount. She explained that she did so “for the glory of our eternal capital.” As it turned out, this tasteless display in the French resort town, before the eyes of the world, was the result of half a year of brainstorming by Regev's staff on how to use Cannes' international film festival to mark the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War.

In interviews with Israeli media, the culture minister described her choice of gown as nothing less than a diplomatic achievement. “People are responding to Israel,” Regev said in an interview with Channel 20. “They are talking about Israel and Jerusalem. I didn't come here to show off another pretty evening gown. I came to relay a clear message. I believe I had the privilege, on the 50th year of Jerusalem's reunification, to celebrate Jerusalem and to 'make Jerusalem my highest joy,' even here at the Cannes Festival.” 

The truth is that what the culture minister actually managed to do was highlight to the whole world Israel's aggressive and heavy-handed attitude toward the Palestinians. International responses to her gown ranged from apathy to contempt.