The Shakshuka System
Encyclopedia
The Shakshuka System is a 2008
Israeli
documentary film
created by the Israeli investigative journalist Mickey Rosenthal and the Israeli director Ilan Abudi. The film focuses on the connection between private capital and government
in Israel and suggests that a system exists whereby the State of Israel sells its limited resources, cheaply, to a handful of wealthy families. The film shows this by specifically focusing on the business relationship between the political leadership in Israel and one of the wealthiest families in the Israeli economy – the Ofer family
.
The film won the Ophir Award for Best Documentary film in 2009.
While the film was being produced, the Ofer Brothers Group filed a lawsuit against the creators of the film and no Israeli TV channel would show it. Initially the film was screened in Cinematheque
s, different events, and in the Knesset
. A year after the premiere, it was broadcast on Channel 1
, followed by a film produced by the Ofer Brothers in response. In February 2010 the lawsuit was dismissed.
, Zim
and the Oil Refineries Ltd
, to the Ofer Brothers Group. Government officials who carried out these transactions on behalf of the State of Israel became senior employees of the Ofer group after retiring from the public sector. The film tracks the interaction between seniors in the public sector, the media and the Ofer group, claiming the Ofer Brothers managed to avoid scrutiny due to their ties with key people in the media such as Rafi Ginat.
A central part of the film deals with a donation attempt by Sammy Ofer
to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art
in exchange for the renaming of the museum after him and his wife, and for provisions which would entitle him, according to the film, to ownership rights to the structure of the museum.
The film presents a report of the Ministry of Environment which claims that the factories of the Ofer Brothers Group
, such as the Oil Refineries, are polluting the environment and shows the negative effects which their pollution causes. In the film Mickey Rosenthal also confronted a senior in the Israeli Cancer Association after the association gave a certificate to Sammy Ofer for his contribution.
The film's name is a culinary metaphor
which refers to the alleged deal made which resulted in Ofer Brothers Group acquisition of Zim
, the national shipping company, for a seemingly very low price. The metaphor made during the film by the Israeli lawyer Ram Caspi, whom represented the Israel Corporation
(controlled by the Ofer Brothers Group) in the negotiations over the acquisition of the government shares in Zim
. In the film Caspi claims that the Ofer Brothers Group, which were the only company to participate in the auction over Zim's shares, closed the deal after the sides agreed on a final price which was much lower than the real worth of the shipping company. According to the film, a few months after the sale, Zim was appraised at three or maybe four times the price at which the state sold its interest.
as a result of pollution, which Rosenthal added to the film contrary to the agreement the company made with him. According to the filmmakers, they agreed to cut out several parts from the film so that Yes would approve the broadcasting of the film, yet it was eventually decided that the film would not be broadcast.
The banning of the film created a public uproar. Among others, a number of filmmakers unions organized and held a press conference about the censorship made due to pressure from the wealthiest people in Israel's economy. Eventually the film was approved for screening at the Cinematheque in Tel Aviv, despite cease and desist letters send by the lawyers of the Ofer family. Later on the film was screened at the Jerusalem Cinematheque
.
Channel 10 and Channel 1 expressed interest in the film, but were also pressured not to broadcast it. As a result, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel
contacted the management of the Israel Broadcasting Authority
claiming concern for the freedom of expression and democracy in Israel. Channel 1 announced that the film would be broadcast with a few corrections but decided to show it in full, followed by a response movie produced by the Ofer family. In July 2009, both films were shown on Channel 1 in a special broadcast hosted by Oded Shachar.
A compromise agreement was reached in September 2009 between Rosenthal and the Ofer family, in which the family agreed to pay Rosenthal NIS 40,000 for court costs.
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
Israeli
Cinema of Israel
Cinema of Israel refers to movie production in Israel since its founding in 1948. Most Israeli films are produced in Hebrew. Israel has been nominated for more Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film than any other country in the Middle East....
documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
created by the Israeli investigative journalist Mickey Rosenthal and the Israeli director Ilan Abudi. The film focuses on the connection between private capital and government
Crony capitalism
Crony capitalism is a term describing a capitalist economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials...
in Israel and suggests that a system exists whereby the State of Israel sells its limited resources, cheaply, to a handful of wealthy families. The film shows this by specifically focusing on the business relationship between the political leadership in Israel and one of the wealthiest families in the Israeli economy – the Ofer family
Ofer Brothers Group
The Ofer Group is an Israeli family shipping business owned by the Ofer family. The Ofer family owns one of the largest private shipping companies in the world....
.
The film won the Ophir Award for Best Documentary film in 2009.
While the film was being produced, the Ofer Brothers Group filed a lawsuit against the creators of the film and no Israeli TV channel would show it. Initially the film was screened in Cinematheque
Cinematheque
A cinémathèque is a French word used to refer to a film archive with small cinemas that screens particularly classic and art-house films.- History :...
s, different events, and in the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
. A year after the premiere, it was broadcast on Channel 1
Channel 1 (Israel)
Channel 1 is one of the oldest television channels in Israel and one of five terrestrial channels in the country...
, followed by a film produced by the Ofer Brothers in response. In February 2010 the lawsuit was dismissed.
Overview
The film explores the sale of state assets, such as the Dead Sea WorksDead Sea Works
The Dead Sea Works is an Israeli potash plant in Sdom, on the Dead Sea coast of Israel.-History:The company was established in 1930 by Moshe Novomeysky. It was known then as the Palestine Potash Company...
, Zim
Zim
Zim or ZIM may refer to:* Zero Index Metamaterial* Zimbabwe* Nzime, a people of Cameroon* GAZ-12 ZIM, limousine* Invader Zim, a 2001 animated television series** Zim, the title character from Invader ZIM...
and the Oil Refineries Ltd
Oil Refineries Ltd
Oil Refineries Ltd. , located in Haifa Bay, is Israel's largest Oil refinery. Using its state-of-the-art industrial facilities, ORL is capable of refining approximately 9.8 million tons of crude oil per year providing a variety of products used in industrial operation, transportation, private...
, to the Ofer Brothers Group. Government officials who carried out these transactions on behalf of the State of Israel became senior employees of the Ofer group after retiring from the public sector. The film tracks the interaction between seniors in the public sector, the media and the Ofer group, claiming the Ofer Brothers managed to avoid scrutiny due to their ties with key people in the media such as Rafi Ginat.
A central part of the film deals with a donation attempt by Sammy Ofer
Sammy Ofer
Sammy Ofer KBE was a businessman, shipping tycoon and one of the wealthiest people in Israel, although most of his time he spent abroad, and managed his businesses from Monte Carlo in Monaco...
to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Tel Aviv Museum of Art
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is an art museum in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was established in 1932 in a building that was the home of Tel Aviv's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff. The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art opened in 1959. The museum moved to its current location on King Saul Avenue in...
in exchange for the renaming of the museum after him and his wife, and for provisions which would entitle him, according to the film, to ownership rights to the structure of the museum.
The film presents a report of the Ministry of Environment which claims that the factories of the Ofer Brothers Group
Ofer Brothers Group
The Ofer Group is an Israeli family shipping business owned by the Ofer family. The Ofer family owns one of the largest private shipping companies in the world....
, such as the Oil Refineries, are polluting the environment and shows the negative effects which their pollution causes. In the film Mickey Rosenthal also confronted a senior in the Israeli Cancer Association after the association gave a certificate to Sammy Ofer for his contribution.
The film's name is a culinary metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
which refers to the alleged deal made which resulted in Ofer Brothers Group acquisition of Zim
Zim
Zim or ZIM may refer to:* Zero Index Metamaterial* Zimbabwe* Nzime, a people of Cameroon* GAZ-12 ZIM, limousine* Invader Zim, a 2001 animated television series** Zim, the title character from Invader ZIM...
, the national shipping company, for a seemingly very low price. The metaphor made during the film by the Israeli lawyer Ram Caspi, whom represented the Israel Corporation
Israel Corporation
Israel Corporation is Israel’s largest holding company. Fifty of its manufacturing activities and 70% of its consolidated revenues derive from global operations. Its core holdings are fertilizers and specialty chemicals, energy, shipping and transportation. Israel Corp is a constituent of the...
(controlled by the Ofer Brothers Group) in the negotiations over the acquisition of the government shares in Zim
Zim
Zim or ZIM may refer to:* Zero Index Metamaterial* Zimbabwe* Nzime, a people of Cameroon* GAZ-12 ZIM, limousine* Invader Zim, a 2001 animated television series** Zim, the title character from Invader ZIM...
. In the film Caspi claims that the Ofer Brothers Group, which were the only company to participate in the auction over Zim's shares, closed the deal after the sides agreed on a final price which was much lower than the real worth of the shipping company. According to the film, a few months after the sale, Zim was appraised at three or maybe four times the price at which the state sold its interest.
Controversy
While the film was being made, a libel lawsuit was filed against Rosenthal and his wife by Ariel Shemer, the lawyer of the Ofer family. Rosenthal also received several death threats. Rosenthal was not deterred but the Yes company, which helped finance the film, later withdrew its finance backing and refused to broadcast it. According to Yes, this decision was made because of scenes relating to people suffering from CancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
as a result of pollution, which Rosenthal added to the film contrary to the agreement the company made with him. According to the filmmakers, they agreed to cut out several parts from the film so that Yes would approve the broadcasting of the film, yet it was eventually decided that the film would not be broadcast.
The banning of the film created a public uproar. Among others, a number of filmmakers unions organized and held a press conference about the censorship made due to pressure from the wealthiest people in Israel's economy. Eventually the film was approved for screening at the Cinematheque in Tel Aviv, despite cease and desist letters send by the lawyers of the Ofer family. Later on the film was screened at the Jerusalem Cinematheque
Jerusalem Cinematheque
Jerusalem Cinematheque is the Cinematheque and National Movie Archive, which works in Jerusalem.The Cinematheque was founded in 1974 by Lia van Lear, and housed in a glossary. in 1981 passed a new building in Hebron rd. near to the Valley of Hinnom. Cinematheque building four halls screening...
.
Channel 10 and Channel 1 expressed interest in the film, but were also pressured not to broadcast it. As a result, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel
Association for Civil Rights in Israel
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel was created as an independent non-partisan organization to protect human rights and civil rights in Israel and the territories under its control....
contacted the management of the Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority is Israel's state broadcasting network.It grew out of the radio station Kol Yisrael, which made its first broadcast as an independent station on . The name of the organisation operating Kol Yisrael was changed to Israel Broadcasting Service in 1951...
claiming concern for the freedom of expression and democracy in Israel. Channel 1 announced that the film would be broadcast with a few corrections but decided to show it in full, followed by a response movie produced by the Ofer family. In July 2009, both films were shown on Channel 1 in a special broadcast hosted by Oded Shachar.
A compromise agreement was reached in September 2009 between Rosenthal and the Ofer family, in which the family agreed to pay Rosenthal NIS 40,000 for court costs.
Reactions
The attempts to prevent the screening of the film led to a substantial media interest. "This is the film that nobody wants you to see. Now everyone should see it" wrote Yaron Ten-Brink, a television critic of Yediot Aharonot. "Drop everything and go see this movie. You would get a more detailed accurate explanation of how the state steals from us and transfers the gains to the Ofer brothers," wrote the Israeli journalist Guy Meroz in Maariv. Haredi journalist Koby Arieli urged readers to "Go see The Shakshouka System. Do not miss it."External links
- Official website
- Israel’s Naked Truth / By Jordana Horn - published in Forward.com December 18, 2009