Zionists! Iraq?

Talking shop was fun. I’d finally found someone to convert video tapes I’d kept stuck in boxes for way too long. Most from the shed, those shot on NTSC, the recording format used here in the US, had been digitized, but several still needed transferring. These were shot on PAL, the standard in Europe and Israel, and local services didn’t have the gear for the job. I was thrilled to find someone who might. Unfortunately, the feeling wouldn’t last.

The guy I called could gab. I quickly learned about his success in the trade, documentary ideas, and machines, my pressing concern. He needed to do some fiddling to get a PAL deck ready or drum one up from a neighboring town. It was a wrench in the works but I stayed on the phone. There was no one else around equipped to handle broadcast tapes in PAL.

We chatted on amiably and I’m thinking maybe I can even work on something with the man. Finally he got around to asking about me. Why PAL professional tapes? I said I’d been shooting news for bureaus based in Israel. I was pleased with the interest, until his next question, straight out of left field.

So, since you’ve worked in Israel, what do you think of the Zionists killing all those Palestinians?

Whew, no teaming up with this guy. And how did I answer? I told him I was one (a Zionist, and defined it), then threw questions in his direction. No, he didn’t know over a fifth of Israel was Arab, he was unaware of the huge protests against the war, was disinterested in the 1947 UN Resolution establishing a Jewish State.

Soon, done with the topic, he got back to the industry and his projects. I was glad at last to hang up. The PAL tapes would have to be shipped out of state.

A week later I picked up the NTSC tapes that had been locally digitized. I’d been to the company before, liked their work and the owner. They were conscientious. Still, I was wary of any surprises. I wanted to keep going there.

They greeted me with a big box and a thumb drive. I warned I might be back with more stuff though they’d probably had enough of me after all their tries to transfer the different formats and tape sizes I’d brought them.

Not at all, they replied. We enjoy seeing your footage from Iraq. The place is always on TV.

Uh, Israel, I said.

The Middle East, he followed up, it’s all the same.

Once I would have just stared speechless. Now, actually, I was relieved.