People in the arts community who sympathize with Israel are being treated “basically like Nazis”, according to the writer of a new TV drama.
David Ireland said the situation in Israel and Gaza is “an impossible thing to talk about” for some people working in the arts.
Ireland is the author behind ITV’s fantastic crime thriller series starring Eva Mylems and Andrew Lincoln, as well as Step Five, starring Jack Panlited and Martin Freeman who ran in the Sondon area.
Born in Belfast, Ireland, he said there was a natural affinity between the union communities in northern Ireland and Israel.
“There may be a feeling of being under siege.
“The feeling of being hated by the world, misdirected by the world and disdain for that,” he told our Kingdom Podcast.
‘The whole world is starting like Northern Ireland’
Ireland is currently working on a play about the Middle East, through a Northern Irish lens.
“It started with a conversation with a friend of mine from London, and he’s Jewish. I was talking about how the people of Northern Ireland, especially the Protestants…counts feel connected to Israel.
“He found this interesting because he didn’t know anything about this. We thought that was a fun basis to play.”
Most parents in northern Ireland have traditionally supported Israel and it is not unusual to see Israeli flags flying in the main streets.
At the time, Palestinian flags were regularly seen in country houses in northern Ireland.
Ireland said the play is about how difficult it can be to talk about religion or politics.
“When I grew up in the north of Ireland, there was a tradition [where] You didn’t talk about things. In a respectful company you never talk about religion or politics.
“Things are very polarized, very fiery, there are many hot topics and difficult issues. I feel like the whole world is starting to evolve as I get older.”
Israeli flags are often flown in union territories in northern Ireland, such as the one in Bangor, County Down [Getty Images]
Ireland remembered the Israeli flags tearing through the Langposp medals as a child.
“My biological father was pro-Israel and blind and he passed that on to me.
“It was very much connected to learning about the Holocaust, and the foundation of the State of Israel.”
He now lives in Scotland with his wife and young children but said he is more comfortable in Northern Ireland.
“It’s strange, I have this discomfort when I’m outside certain parts of Northern Ireland, even if I live in Glasgow.”
He said he feels more at peace when he comes back from traditional trusted places like East Belfast.
“I feel so comfortable when I’m on the road at NewtowNards, even though I only see it every two years now. Just then I feel like I can breathe easy.
“I travel all over the world, I feel this discomfort and anxiety everywhere I am in the world, the only places I feel safe are places like Ballybeen, which is Iron, because maybe I’m safe there.”
‘I stopped watching the news’
When asked if recent images of the war in the Middle East had changed his views on Israel, Ireland said he “gave up on the news”.
“There is an artistic perception that if you sympathize with Israel at all, then you are basically a Nazi. So, it’s a difficult position to talk about.
“But there are a lot of people who feel that way. I tend to disagree with a lot of people in the arts about a lot of things.”
His Play The Fifth Step will be in cinemas across Northern Ireland as part of National Theater Live on 27th November.
