L.A. Times apologizes for calling Ben Hur a Palestinian

The Los Angeles Times corrected an item about an anniversary release of a “Ben Hur” DVD that called the title character a Palestinian.

The correction came following complaints from readers and the staff of CAMERA: Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America of a Calendar item published Monday.

“A Sept. 26 Calendar section article about a new DVD and Blu-ray release of the 1959 film ‘Ben-Hur’ described the title character, played by Charlton Heston, as a Palestinian nobleman,” the correction said. “The character Ben-Hur was a Jew from Judea who lived long before the place now known as Palestine was given that name.”

The original item had said, “Based on the novel by Lew Wallace, the period drama revolves around Judah Ben-Hur (Heston), a Palestinian nobleman who is enslaved by the Romans, engages in one of the most thrilling chariot races ever captured on screen, and even encounters Jesus Christ.”