The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today condemned the entertainment professionals who are urging the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) to rescind the Emmy nomination of Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda for her series “It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive” in the 2024 News & Documentary category.
SEE: News Emmys stand by nomination of Palestinian journalist’s documentary
Since Oct. 7, Bisan has documented her forced displacement from her home, chronicling her repeated relocations amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. The open letter, released by the anti-Palestinian nonprofit Creative Community For Peace (CCFP), which claims to be “dedicated to promoting the arts as a bridge for peace,” was signed by over 150 members of the entertainment industry, including American actresses Debra Messing and Selma Blair.
NATAS defended its decision to nominate Bisan, with the academy’s president and chief executive Adam Sharp stating that past nominees had been controversial but were honored “in the service of the journalistic mission to capture every facet of the story.”
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“It is shameful that an organization allegedly dedicated to ‘peace’ is actively participating in the dehumanization of the Palestinian people and attempting to silence and censor the voice of a brave Palestinian woman who is shedding light on Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Even worse, this defamatory attack puts Bisan’s life at risk by making her a target of Israeli assassination. Israel has already killed more than 115 Palestinian journalists over the past 10 months simply for reporting on the genocide.
“The CCFP and the entertainment professionals who signed the open letter clearly take more issue with the journalist documenting the violence against her and her people than they do with the entity committing the genocide. If they were truly interested in peace, they would rethink their unconditional support for the openly racist and genocidal Israeli government and stop attempting to suppress the truth.
“We welcome NATAS’ decision to stand up to such unabashed bigotry and their commitment to journalistic integrity.”
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or [email protected]; CAIR-LA Communications Coordinator Madi Morse-Hameed, [email protected]