Friendly Jews, female bosses: Saudi TV promotes a new vision

IN A WORLDUAE flipped on its head, a note of constancy: the Middle East is arguing about Israel. “Exit 7”, a popular series aired on Saudi television this Ramadan, portrays a family led by Nasser al-Gassabi, a Saudi actor. One episode has his son Ziad befriend an Israeli, via an online video game. True to life, the friendship is cause for controversy. But not everyone is perturbed. Mr Gassabi’s on-screen father-in-law describes Israel as a reality and the Palestinians as ungrateful “enemies”.Autocrats in the Middle East use television to push politics—especially during Ramadan, when big-budget series attract hours of post-prandial viewing. In Egypt scripts are vetted for patriotic themes. Turkey and the , regional rivals, recently made duelling shows about the Ottoman empire: benevolent overlords in the former; unwanted occupiers in the latter. Critics say “Exit 7” and another Saudi show, “Um Haroun”, which features Jewish characters, are attempts to promote normalisation with Israel.