Israeli Co-director of ‘No Other Land' Says Film Academy Refused to Condemn the Settler Attack
Writing on X, Yuval Abraham, co-director of 'No Other Land,' wrote that several members of the academy, which awards the Oscars, advocated in vain for the group to make a statement denouncing the attack on Hamdan Ballal.
He said he was told that the academy would not denounce the attack because it involved other Palestinians.
'In other words, while Hamdan was clearly targeted for making No Other Land ... he was also targeted for being Palestinian — like countless others every day who are disregarded. This, it seems, gave the Academy an excuse to remain silent when a filmmaker they honored, living under Israeli occupation, needed them the most,' wrote Abraham.
He noted that the European Academy had voiced solidarity with Ballal following the attack and said it was not too late for the American Academy to do the same. The military has denied that Ballal was beaten.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
13 hours ago
- Leaders
British Punk Duo Bob Vylan Speaks against Israel's Actions in Gaza
The punk-rap duo Bob Vylan made headlines around the world last month when they publicly expressed their solidarity with Palestine and criticized Israel's conduct of war in Gaza. At Glastonbury Festival in June, frontman rapper, Bobby Vylan, led chants of 'Free, Free Palestine' and 'Death, Death to the IDF (Israeli military).' Moreover, Bobby Vylan made a strong statement in support for Palestine, saying 'From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, and will be, free.' The incident triggered controversy across the world, drawing both criticism and support amid growing outrage over Israel's actions in Gaza. The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, called the chant 'appalling,' while the British police investigated the incident. Moreover, the band has been dropped from several shows, including France and Germany, and had their US visas revoked. Many people across the UK interpreted the chant as a call for the death of Israeli soldiers. However, Bobby Vylan explained in an Instagram post that he was not calling 'for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people.' 'We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use 'unnecessary lethal force' against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza,' the British singer clarified. Short link : Post Views: 37
Leaders
2 days ago
- Leaders
Music Meets Activism: Greta Thunberg Joins Sam Fender in 'Free Palestine' Call
British singer-songwriter Sam Fender transformed his headline set at Copenhagen's Syd for Solen festival into a potent political statement on Friday, 8 August. During the finale of his song 'Hypersonic Missiles,' Fender invited climate activist Greta Thunberg and a group of fellow activists, including UNICEF ambassador Selma de Montgomery and Green Youth Movement's Roba Al-Sharkawi, to join him onstage. The moment ignited the crowd with chants of 'Free, free Palestine!', amplified by a towering Palestinian flag projection. From Lyrics to Action Fender prefaced the song by acknowledging its grim relevance: written in 2018, 'Hypersonic Missiles' includes the line, 'I am so blissfully unaware of everything / Kids in Gaza are bombed and I'm just out of it.' He told the audience the track now resonated more urgently than ever. As activists took the microphone, their words cut through the festival atmosphere: 'Israel is committing genocide, and it uses starvation as a weapon. People are dying of famine and are being killed for getting their food.' Activist Omar Rai then followed, 'Profit and power are driving the ethnic cleansing of an entire people. Use your voice—be on the right side of history'. De Montgomery directly condemned Denmark's government, stating, 'They are guilty of the suffering escalating daily in Gaza… by refusing to end the Danish arms trade with Israel.' Greta Thunberg seized the moment, telling the roaring crowd, 'The world is watching,' then led the chant: 'Free Palestine! Free, free Palestine! Free, free Palestine! Free, free, free Palestine!', with the audience repeated every line, turning the chorus into a stadium-sized protest. @musadalgahnim ♬ الصوت الأصلي – Musad Algahnim Music as a Movement Amplifier This impactful moment seamlessly aligns with Sam Fender's consistent advocacy for humanitarian causes. In June, he paused a London Stadium performance, addressing an audience of 70,000, telling them, 'It breaks my heart,' and urged strong support for immediate humanitarian relief. Fender regularly uses his high-profile performances for significant political statements, demonstrating unwavering commitment. His festival appearance extended this advocacy effort, reinforcing his willingness to use his platform. Thunberg's Defiant Path to Copenhagen The festival appearance came just two months after Israel detained Thunberg during a high-profile attempt to break Gaza's naval blockade. On 8 June, Israeli forces seized the British-flagged aid yacht Madleen in international waters, where Thunberg and 11 others aimed to deliver symbolic humanitarian supplies, though Israel dismissed the mission as a 'selfie yacht' stunt, deporting Thunberg to France. She later condemned her detention: 'Israel committed an illegal act by kidnapping us… The real story is the genocide in Gaza'. Human rights groups universally criticized the interception, with Amnesty International calling it a violation of international law, emphasizing that Israel's blockade 'flouts binding ICJ orders' for humanitarian access 6. Undeterred, Thunberg announced an even larger mobilization days before joining Fender onstage. The 'Global Sumud Flotilla', scheduled to launch August 31 from Spain, will involve dozens of boats from 44 countries, including activists, doctors, and artists like Susan Sarandon and Liam Cunningham. Short link : Post Views: 10
Leaders
2 days ago
- Leaders
Copenhagen Fashion Week Turns into Public Display of Gaza Solidarity
Copenhagen Fashion Week, which took place from August 4-8, 2025 at the Danish capital, became a stage for displaying solidarity with Gaza, amid the ongoing Israeli war against the enclave. During the Copenhagen Fashion Week, many attendees expressed support for Palestine by integrating the Palestinian keffiyeh into their clothing, which appeared as skirts, dresses and scarves. Moreover, some waved Palestinian flags as a symbol of solidarity with the people of Gaza, demanding an immediate end to the brutal war. In a striking moment, model and musician, Jura, unfurled a Palestinian flag on the catwalk during a show for the Finnish brand Marimekko's Spring/Summer 2026 collection. The flag carried the words: 'Act now to stop Genocide.' In response, security guards escorted Jura off the runway and prevented her from taking part in other shows. The model later posted a statement on Instagram, reaffirming her position. 'The thing is, there is no future for us without Palestine. Don't you get it? If we accept for Israel to starve away all of Palestine now, we accept the world's wealthiest to control what minorities are up next for genocide. Don't you get it? What happens to Palestine is everyone's future,' Jura said. The incident sparked worldwide reactions, with Israeli media criticizing Jura's action and accusing Benjamin Netanyahu's government of failure to counter the pro-Palestinian narrative, which is gaining momentum across global platforms. 'Israel's failure to shape the narrative in prominent arenas like fashion reflects a broader communication shortfall. The keffiyeh's prominence is a symptom of a deeper issue: Israel struggles to offer a compelling counter-narrative,' the Israeli news website Ynet said. Short link : Post Views: 7
