Overview
- Motaz Malhees announced on Instagram that he cannot attend Sunday’s 98th Academy Awards because he is barred from entering the United States due to his Palestinian citizenship.
- His film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, is nominated for best international feature and portrays the real-life case of a young girl killed in Gaza after pleading for rescue by phone.
- President Trump’s December proclamation imposed full entry restrictions on individuals using Palestinian Authority–issued travel documents, citing security and vetting concerns.
- Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania is expected to attend, while the U.S. State Department and White House did not immediately comment on Malhees’ situation.
- Rajab’s mother, Wissam Hamada, is also unable to enter the U.S. and will watch from Greece, as producers say legal avenues for exceptions were explored, including a reported lawyer’s view that a permit would require Senator Marco Rubio’s signature.