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In Turkey, Orthodox drama ‘Shtisel’ is being adapted for a Muslim audience
ISTANBUL (JTA) — “Shtisel,” a TV series about haredi Orthodox Jews that became an international phenomenon after Netflix picked it up in 2018, is getting a Muslim makeover for Turkish audiences, according to Turkish media.
A new show titled “Ömer” has begun production and will premiere sometime in 2023 on Turkey’s STAR TV, Turkish media reported.
Not much is known about the show’s plot. A trailer depicts the protagonist Ömer, played by Selahattin Paşali, standing at the precipice of a mosque and seemingly stuck between the calls of an imam on one side and a woman — with uncovered hair — on the other, as the Islamic call to prayer, also sung by Paşali, sounds in the background.
Star TV has unveiled a first look at its upcoming drama, “Ömer.”
The OGM Pictures-produced series is reportedly based on the award-winning series “Shtisel,” which followed a religious family as they reckon with love, loss and the doldrums of daily life.
— Dizilah (@dizilah) December 23, 2022
In Islam, women are required to cover their hair in public, so the images suggest that the main theme of the show could involve Ömer choosing between religious tradition and secularism. That was not one of the central tensions in “Shtisel,” which debuted on Israeli TV in 2014 and was widely praised for depicting the everyday lives of characters based in Jerusalem’s haredi community.
Nonetheless, Paşali’s character is being compared to Michael Aloni’s character, Akiva in “Shtisel,” and an imam character is being compared to the patriarch of the Shtisel family, Shulem.
The series’ female lead, Gökçe Bahadir, may be recognized by some Jewish and Israeli audiences: Last year, she starred in the hit Turkish Netflix series “The Club” (“Kulüp”), which follows a Sephardic-Jewish family through the political turmoil of 1940s and 1950s Istanbul.
Turkish shows, often referred to by the Turkish term, “dizis,” have long been as popular in Israel as they are elsewhere in the Middle East. One show, “The Bride of Istanbul” (“Istanbullu Gelin”) — which was directed by the same director as “the Club,” Zeynep Gunay Tan, and produced by the same production company as “Ömer” — grew a passionate Israeli fanbase in 2018, according to Haaretz.
Over 600,000 Israelis visited Turkey this past summer, a record high, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Last year, it was reported that an American version of “Shtisel,” to be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan, was in the works.
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China, Saudi Arabia Agree to Strengthen Coordination on Regional, Global Matters
Flags of China and Saudi Arabia are seen in this picture, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 7, 2022. REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour
China and Saudi Arabia agreed to have closer communication and coordination on regional and international issues, with Beijing lauding Riyadh’s role in Middle East diplomacy, statements following a meeting between the nations’ foreign ministers on Sunday showed.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on a three-nation tour in the Middle East that began in the United Arab Emirates and is expected to end in Jordan. He met with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud in Riyadh on Sunday.
A joint statement published by China’s official news agency Xinhua did not elaborate on what issues the countries will strengthen coordination on, but mentioned China’s support for Saudi Arabia and Iran developing and enhancing their relations.
“(China) appreciates Saudi Arabia’s leading role and efforts to achieve regional and international security and stability,” the statement released on Monday said.
The statement also reiterated both countries’ support for a “comprehensive and just settlement” of the Palestinian issue and the formation of an independent state for Palestinians.
At a high-level meeting, Wang told his Saudi counterpart that China has always regarded Saudi Arabia as a “priority for Middle East diplomacy” and an important partner in global diplomacy, a Chinese foreign ministry statement on Monday said.
He also encouraged more cooperation in energy and investments, as well as in the fields of new energy and green transformation.
The countries have agreed to mutually exempt visas for diplomatic and special passport holders from both sides, according to the joint statement.
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Report: Iran Considers Removing Hezbollah Leader Naim Qassem
Lebanon’s Hezbollah Chief Naim Qassem gives a televised speech from an unknown location, July 30, 2025, in this screen grab from video. Photo: Al Manar TV/REUTERS TV/via REUTERS
i24 News – Iran is reportedly dissatisfied with the performance of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and is preparing to reorganize the group’s leadership, potentially removing him from his position, according to a report by Emirati outlet Erem News citing senior Lebanese diplomatic sources.
The report claims Tehran views Qassem as “unsuitable to lead Hezbollah at this critical stage,” arguing that he has failed to meet the leadership standards set by his predecessor, longtime Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Iranian officials are said to believe Qassem lacks sufficient political acumen and hold him responsible for the deterioration in relations between Hezbollah and the Lebanese state.
According to Erem News, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to oversee preparations for restructuring Hezbollah’s internal leadership during an upcoming visit to Beirut.
The visit is intended to assess the organization’s internal climate through direct meetings with senior Hezbollah figures and influential operatives.
“The Iranian minister seeks to monitor the general climate within Hezbollah and convey an accurate picture of the internal situation to decision-makers in Tehran,” the report said, adding that the findings would be used to inform “crucial decisions regarding anticipated changes at the head of the organization, most notably the fate of Naim Qassem.”
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Iran’s Foreign Minister to Visit Russia and Belarus, Foreign Ministry Says
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi speaks during a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Iran, July 12, 2025. Photo: Hamid Forootan/Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
Iran‘s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, will visit Russia and Belarus in the next two to three days, foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Sunday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Turkmenistan on Friday.