Israeli protest fails to halt Palestinian movie

[March 15, 2011]  UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. General Assembly president is refusing to cancel the New York premiere of the movie "Miral," about a Palestinian teen coming of age in war-torn East Jerusalem, despite protests from Israel and American Jewish organizations.

Assembly spokesman Jean-Viktor Nkolo said President Joseph Deiss is going ahead with Monday night's screening in the General Assembly chamber and hopes the film will "contribute to a peaceful and lasting solution that satisfies all parties."

Israel's deputy U.N. ambassador Haim Waxman asked Deiss to reconsider his decision saying the screening was "an inappropriate use" of the General Assembly which already focuses "excessively and obsessively" on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Miral" stars Freida Pinto, Willem Dafoe and Vanessa Redgrave and was directed by Julian Schnabel.

[Associated Press]

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