Israeli envoy apologises to Indians for Lapid's remark on 'The Kashmir Files'
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New Delhi: A day after filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who headed the jury at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, called out 'The Kashmir Files' a "propaganda" and "vulgar movie", the Israeli envoy to India came out with an open apology for the 'foul mouth' his countryman used against the film.
Envoy Naor Gilon, in a series of tweets, lambasted Lapid for turning heavily on the controversial film 'The Kashmir Files' and said he abused the hospitality that the Indians extended to him upon calling to head the jury of the IFFI.
"It's not in Hebrew because I wanted our Indian brothers and sisters to be able to understand. It is also relatively long so I'll give you the bottom line first. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED. Here's why: pic.twitter.com/8YpSQGMXIR" Naor Gilon tweeted.
Indian filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri directed 'The Kashmir Files' has been received widely by many as true events related to Kashmiri Pandits' exodus from Kashmir valley following attacks from militias but a section of critics called out it as a propaganda movie for its hyperbolic presentation of the events in the movie.
Taking parallels to the movie 'Schindler's List' based on the Holocaust, Gilon said he was hurt by Lapid's comments on 'The Kashmir Files', which called a narration of an "open wound in India because many of the involved are still around and still paying a price."
Gilon also said Lapid's comments were insensitive and presumptuous without a deep study of the exodus events.
"From your interview to Ynet the connection you make between your criticism of #KashmirFiles and your dislike to what is happening in Israeli politics was quite evident," one of the tweets by Gilon read.
India-Israel ties are very strong and will survive the "damages" inflicted by his remarks, Gilon said in his tweets addressed to Lapid.
Describing Lapid's comments as a diplomatic issue, Gilon further said that the damages inflicted by Lapid's remarks will unlikely to be affected the India-Israel ties.
"The friendship between the people and the states of India and Israel is very strong and will survive the damage you have inflicted. As a human being I feel ashamed and want to apologize to our hosts for the bad manner in which we repaid them for their generosity and friendship," he tweeted.
