Palestinian actor says he cannot attend Oscars due to U.S. journey ban

Washington – Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees stated a journey ban imposed by the Trump administration is stopping him from attending this weekend’s Academy Awards, whose nominees embody a film by which he has a starring position.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a movie a couple of five-year-old Palestinian woman killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024, has been Oscar-nominated for finest worldwide characteristic movie.

Malhees, who performs the position of a name middle operator making an attempt to assist her, stated he can’t attend the Academy Awards present, referred to as the Oscars, as a result of he has been barred from coming into the U.S. 

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“I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship,” Malhees stated on Instagram, including “it hurts” he wouldn’t attend the Oscars.

In a December proclamation limiting entry of international nationals, President Donald Trump stated he had “determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.” 

The proclamation limiting entry of individuals from some international locations cited safety causes and went into impact on January 1, in accordance with the State Department’s web site. 

The State Department didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. 

The film was spurred by an incident by which 5 of Rajab’s relations and two ambulance staff who went to save lots of her had been additionally killed by Israeli hearth. Israel says the incident is below evaluate. 

Malhees says the movie’s different Palestinian forged members have citizenship that enables U.S. journey however he solely holds a Palestinian passport. 

Trump has additionally tried to deport international pro-Palestinian voices from the United States. On Friday, an immigration decide ordered the discharge of Leqaa Kordia, who misplaced over 170 relations in Gaza and has been detained for a yr. Two earlier orders haven’t led to her launch. 

Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sergio Non, Stephen Coates and Tom Hogue