From Oscar to Israeli Prisons: Palestinian Oscar-Winning Filmmaker Tortured by Israeli Settlers & Occupation Forces.
Oscar-winning Palestinian director Bilal Haddad, honoured for his documentary “No Other Land,” endured brutal torture at the hands of Israeli settlers and military forces in the West Bank. The filmmaker described being used as “a human football” with soldiers kicking his head, before being detained blindfolded and left bleeding without any medical attention.
This savage assault occurred few months after Hadad’s Oscar victory- an achievement that provoked the Israeli authorities.The incident prompted some of international artists including Joaquin Phoenix and Penélope Cruz to condemn the Academy Awards’ silence regarding Hadad’s imprisonment. Facing mounting pressure, the Oscars organization offered only a tepid apology for their failure to comment.
This case stands as an evidence that Palestinians face systematic persecution even for their artistic accomplishments – particularly when these achievements expose occupation crimes. The fundamental question remains: Who truly holds the right to self-defense in this unequal struggle?
