Israel's Minister of Culture and Sports, Meri Regev, announced Sunday that the government approved a bill that would, if approved by the Knesset, prevent support for "non-loyal" cultural and artistic acts.
The law submitted by the Israeli Minister of Culture and Sport grants the authority to prevent governmental financial support from any institution that produces cultural or artistic works that "deny the right of the State of Israel to exist, impair the dignity of its flag, consider the day of Israel's independence as a day of mourning, Terrorism ".
"I am very happy that this law has been approved by the Ministerial Legislation Committee and will be presented to the Knesset for approval next month, yes to the freedom of culture, not to provocations," the Israeli minister was quoted as saying.
Regev, who belongs to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, has strained ties with the Israeli cultural elite, especially since the elite is often counted on the left.
Earlier last year, Regev's fury was aroused by the victory of Israeli director Samuel Maath's film "Foxtrot" by the Israeli filmmaker and winner of the Oscar nomination for best foreign film.
The film, which angered Regev, touched on compulsory military service and Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, but for the Israeli minister, Israeli soldiers are "portrayed as murderers and tarnished their reputation."
