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Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Pierre Rehov, a French journalist, novelist and filmmaker. Visit his new site at ForbiddenTerritories.com.
FP: Pierre Rehov, welcome back to Frontpage Interview.
Tell us about your new venture, “Forbidden Territories.”
Rehov: Thank you Jamie, great to be back.
Like every person concerned about the situation in the Middle East, I begin my days by surfing the net, trying to get the latest news. I jump from the Jerusalem Post to Haaretz, from Memri.org to PMW, from Frontpage Magazine to Jihad Watch, then I read a few blogs, I watch the news, and perhaps read one or two newspapers. When I am finished, I realize that I want to forward my favorite articles or news to some of my friends, and finally I send a few emails. Only then do I begin my day of work.
Lately, I realized that I was missing a site where all these things could be done at once. That’s how I came up with the idea of ForbiddenTerritories.com.
FP: Ok so what is it exactly?
Rehov: Forbidden Territories is a social network, allowing anyone to upload and share news, videos, information, points of view, as long as they are not anti-Israel.
Since Facebook appears to be sometimes so “neutral” in the wrong way – for instance, it took them almost three months to ban the 3rd intifada page, and they served as a good media to promote “a boat for Gaza” – I wanted to create a new space of communication (and freedom) where we could all interconnect and share the latest news.
“Forbidden Territories” is a tool allowing anyone who wants to communicate in favor of Israel. Within just a few days, Forbidden Territories received about 500 registrations (plus 300 for the French version). Each new member has invited at least 2 of his friends.
Also, and this is more personal, I have been filming for almost ten years in the Middle East. In addition to my films, I own hundreds of hours of dailies that no one has ever seen. Such as a Palestinian, in Kariout (below Eli, in Samaria) trying to make me believe that his house had been destroyed by the IDF, and showing me the rubbles — which happen to be material for his never built house. Forbidden Territories will allow me to put them online.
This network doesn’t aim to replace any existing site or blog, but to make the connection between those easier and more entertaining. Of course, as any project, this one will evolve. But in the right direction. Viral networks spread to neutral people. And “the ones who don’t know” are my ultimate target. I have been educating them with my films for many years. Now, I am trying to educate them even more. We cannot lose the battle against Muslim propaganda. Although they have all the money in the world, while we only have the truth on our side. Sometimes, it is not enough.
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