The new Egyptian 40 part TV series connecting the State of Israel’s founding to the principles of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion has sparked worldwide interest and outrage. This series may be one of the most widely watched Arab productions, as it will be broadcast every evening during the month of Ramadan “…on 22 Arab stations, among them Egypt 2, Syria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Lebanon and other Arab states.” [Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 1, 2002]

Scenes from the Egyptian film can be viewed on our website by clicking the following link:
http://www.pmw.org.il/video/egyptprotocols.asx

This depiction of the infamous libel as a true Jewish conspiracy is not new to the residents of the Palestinian Authority [PA], where the "Protocols" has been presented as the reason for the creation of the State of Israel and the guide for Israeli policy. The Egyptian production likewise depicts the "Protocols" as the Zionist guide creating the State of Israel, as stage in ruling the world. The production describes how an Arab fighting the British discovered "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" and realizes "that the true enemy is not the British. Zionist groups in Egypt learn that the book is in his possession and attempt to murder him in order to retrieve the book and prevent its distribution." [Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 1, 2002]

The following are examples of the use of the “Protocols” in PA media and education over recent years. It should be noted how the Palestinians, including academics, present the forgery as a truthful plot upon which Zionism is based. The final article below is from this week’s official PA daily presenting its views about the TV series and the historical truth of the “Protocols”.

1. The official PA daily in its “Political ­ National Education” page, cited precise quotes from Protocols 2 and 12 to explain Israeli policy:

"Morale and psychological manipulation has a significant place in the minds of Jews, and formed a very important source of strength in the "Hebrew State"… Dis-information has been one of the bases of morale and psychological manipulation among the Israelis…

The "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" did not ignore the importance of using propaganda to promote the Zionist goals.

“The second protocol reads: ‘Through the newspapers we will have the means to propel and to influence’.

“In the twelfth protocol: ‘Our governments will hold the reins of most of the newspapers, and through this plan we will possess the primary power to turn to public opinion.’ [Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, January 25, 2001]

2. In this article as well the “Protocols” are presented as the Jews’ road map in building Israel:

“Remember the history, oh Arabs!“... I focused on important dates in the world of the Zionism and the Arabs:

“1. In 1897 the first Zionist Congress was held in Basel...
“2. In 1907 the actual immigration operation began...
“3. In 1917 the woeful declaration of Balfour was made...
"9. In 1977 the visit which shocked the Arab Nation occurred, the President of Egypt visited Israel...


"Every ten years, a vital aim is achieved. These are the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, of a century, from 1897 till 1997. They have planned and accomplished. Every ten years, another aim was achieved, proving their continuity and their power.” [Al Quds, July 10, 2001]

3. In this article in the official PA daily, America as well is following the dictates of the "Protocols”

“The hero of this movie, which concluded last Saturday, was the former American President Bill Clinton, and the theater of events, as we said, was the entire world including the Middle East ... out of prejudice in favor of a racist state that is foreign to it, that is the State of Israel, which, from the outset, could not have held its own if not for the continuous American efforts which incessantly implemented the Protocols of Zion …” [Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, February 18, 2001]

4. Israeli military action is defined as following the script of the “Protocols”

“The purpose of the military policy is to impose this situation on the residents and force them to leave their homes, and this is done in the framework of the Protocols of Zion...” [Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 18, 2001]

5. The Jews changed the Bible, wrote the Talmud and concluded with the Protocols:

Sheikh Attiyeh Sahar, Chairman of the Department of Islamic Research in The Al-Zahar University:

“It must be known that this nation, the Jews, are willing of mind soul to alter their religion in order to attain their demands. This is rooted deep in their history.

“We know that after our master, Moses, delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh and took them through the sea; then they found a nation of idol-worshippers, and they said to Moses: ‘make us a God like theirs’. They alienated the God that saved them and willed to worship idols… These things show us that these people, in order to attain their goals, are willing to turn away from their God and His Singularity, which was introduced to the world by their prophets. We also know that they changed the Bible and replaced it, because It does not serve their purposes, and they drafted the Talmud, as it is known, and came up, finally, with the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.” [Palestinian Authority TV, September 10, 2000]

6. PA academics and historians refer to the Protocols as a truthful Jewish plot on PA educational television.

Dr. Issam Sissalem, History professor at the Islamic University and host of an history program on PA educational TV:

A viewer, Dr., Attallah Abu Al-Farah, calling in: “Can there be, in practice, co-existence on Palestinian land between ourselves and the Jews, in light of their mentality which stems from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Dr. Issam?”

Sissalem: “This question comes from ‘My Beloved Friend’. I say: Dr. Attallah, who is a learned expert….” [Palestinian Authority TV, May 14, 1999]

7. The following is the recent article in the PA press referring to the circumstances of the discovery of the “Protocols” and the new Egyptian TV series.

“The Egyptian actor said to the France Press news agency that the series does not answer the question of truth or lie in the book “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, and said ‘What Israel is doing on the land of Palestine is more severe than the book.’ There are contradictory claims as to the truth of the book ‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion’ and the widespread supposition is that in 1870 Russian intelligence uncovered a book of Jewish elders’ plots to take control of the world. In Jewish circles, however, this is vehemently denied and they accuse the security apparatus of Czar Alexander II of having written the book in order to inflame anti-Semitism, which was prominent then in Russia…

“Subhi [main actor] added: ‘I attach no importance to all that was said and will be said by the Americans and the Israelis, nor to the accusations directed at the series, and I am proud of the Egyptian government whose Minister of Information, Saffwat Al-Sharif, defends the freedom of artistic expression and thought.’

“Subhi said that the Minister of Information stressed that our society does not attack other religions. He clarified that the Egyptian Censorship Committee previewed the series and found nothing that counters our values or other religions.

“He added: ‘We know that the book around which this storm rages was prohibited for a hundred years, because they were operating under cover, and now they are operating openly. However, we do not pass judgment on this book; whether it is truth or forgery. We direct our interest at the Zionist movement, which cast its net to rob a land from its people...

“Baghdadi [the writer] summarizes his position saying: ‘we have no problem with the Jews, but we are against the Racism of the Zionists…” [Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 1, 2002]