Haifa's Arab theater shocked by uproar over play
“A Parallel Time,” at Al-Midan Theater in Haifa, has sparked an outcry amid allegations that the play glorifies an alleged terrorist.
Adnan Tarabash, the manager of Al-Midan Theater in Haifa, remains unable to understand what sparked the public uproar over “A Parallel Time,” a play by Bashar Murkus that he says prompted the city council to freeze funding for the theater. One city council member, Shai Blumenthal from HaBayit HaYehudi, submitted a point of order, arguing that the play was based on a story written by Walid Daka, convicted of being a member of a terrorist cell that 21 years ago kidnapped and murdered Moshe Tamam, an Israeli soldier.
“You take a terrorist, a murderer, you give him a platform and try to turn him into something positive,” Blumenthal said to council members. Yet, in an interview with Al-Monitor, the manager of Al-Midan said that the people who have raised a hue and cry over the play had never seen it and don’t know what it is about.
