The Government prohibition on the use of the term “Eretz Israel” (Land of Israel) over the radio became a national issue today when suit was filed to force lifting of the ban. At the same time the authorities forbade use of the term in the name of a theatrical picture studio.
Israel Amicam, who recently fought a successful crusade for transmission of telegrams in Hebrew characters, instituted an action against the Government, basing his case on photostatic copies of proclamations of the late King George V published by the Palestine Government, addressed to the Jewish community, in which “Eretz Israel” was used repeatedly.
The Government refused to permit a Tel Aviv studio to adopt the name, “Eretz Israelith,” after forcing it to drop its title, “National Studio,” on the ground the term “national” was not permitted. The Government’s objection to “Eretz Israelith” was stated to be that there is no such thing as a “Land of Israel.”
Performance of the studio’s “Eretz Hakodesh,” (the Holy Land) was prohibited on the ground that it might prove irritating to a part of the population. The authorities also clamped a ban on the film, “Abdul Damned,” in which Kortner plays the leading role, giving as the official reason that it would hurt Moslem feelings.
Hebrew newspapers continued to publish columns of letters from readers voicing resentment against the action of the Palestine Broadcasting Company in ruling “Eretz Israel” off the air. The Jewish National Council delivered a formal protest to High Commissioner Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope.
Arab protests, lodged shortly after inauguration of Palestine’s first broadcasting system on March 30, gave rise to the controversy. The broadcasting company permitted substitution of the initials “Aleph Yud” for the Hebrew name.
Mr. Amicam is a former official of the Government Posts and Telegraph Department. Early last year the Government acceded to the campaign he had carried on for years by instituting transmission of Hebrew telegrams. In his campaign, he had addressed a petition to the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations.
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