Issa Qaraqe, Palestinian minister of detainees and ex-detainees affairs, told Arab News the Palestinian prisoners in the southern Israeli prison of Negev were prevented from watching the series, "Sarkhat Hajar" (a stone's scream) in Arabic.

Qaraqe said the move is "part of Israel's efforts to cover up its crimes against the Palestinian people."

The MBC1 began airing the Arabic version of the Turkish drama, which caused tensions between Turkey and Israel, from March 20.

The show featured Israeli soldiers killing a newborn child in cold blood. Another scene depicted the soldiers executing someone without a trial. Several scenes in the series depict Israeli soldiers using firearms against Palestinian civilians.

A soldier is seen kicking the body of a dead Palestinian boy while his mother runs toward him in tears. Another soldier shoots a Palestinian girl who is seen smiling moments before she is hit by a bullet.

The airing of the series on the state-owned Turkish channel TRT in October caused a diplomatic spat between Israel and Turkey. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon summoned the Turkish ambassador and deliberately humiliated him by making him sit on a lower chair, an incident which led Turkey to demand and receive an official apology from Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the series was both anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli, depicting Israelis as baby snatchers and war criminals. The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot urged its readers last week to call for the MBC channel to be shut down in Israel.

Qaraqe said the series scored a high viewing rate among Palestinians since it represented their daily suffering under the Israeli occupation. He added that the MBC administration "took a brave decision to air the series" which "will raise awareness among people about Israeli violations against the Palestinians."