Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev demands that performance artist, Ariel Bronz, be made to answer legally for shoving up the Israeli flag above his nether regions during a cultural conference at the Tel Aviv Museum.
The Israel National News makes it clear that the Minister, who personally saw the act, sees the performance as an act of dishonor to the country, especially the soldiers and citizens who had fought and died for its behalf. At the same time, she says it is her responsibility to protect the country's culture by safeguarding it from similar acts of destruction that supposedly present themselves as artistic expression. She also remained firm in her position, although, her outraged expression at the conference drew loud boos from the liberal members of the audience.
Regev asserts, "Is this culture? Are these people of culture? Do they expect me to fund this? No way."
The Minister will issue orders to study the legal aspects of Bronz's act, especially any terms violated to which he must answer in a court.
The Jerusalem Post points out, however, that Regev did have sympathizers in the audience. Many of them booed Bronz who angrily threw oranges at them. Others simply stood up and walked out of the auditorium. Bronz himself was escorted out against his will when he refused to follow the organizers' requests that he discontinue his act.
At the same time, the Post contests the previous report, saying that what Bronz inserted up his rear was a white piece of cloth, and not the Israeli flag.
Still, Bronz's in-your-face stance does not help his cause, or will make things easier for his upcoming legal battle. According to an earlier report by the Israel Nation News, Bronz said in an interview that he saw Israelis as an embodiment of "all that is ugly in the human race." He also regarded his art as a vehicle of terror.
