In a disturbing development, over 150 American celebrities have urged the Emmys to rescind Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda’s nomination for the 2024 News & Documentary Emmys in the Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form category by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).
The nomination has irked some American celebrities, who published an open letter to NATAS on Monday, which was signed by over 150 music and film executives, including struggling, washed up actors like Selma Blair, Debra Messing, Sherry Lansing, and others. The letter authored by the pro-Israel nonprofit Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) urges the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to withdraw Owda’s nomination in the News & Documentary category for her work.
The disturbing letter accuses Owda of spreading “antisemitic rhetoric” and alleges her ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which they label as a “terrorist organization.” The CCFP argues that Owda’s nomination is “deeply troubling,” citing concerns about her alleged promotion of “dangerous falsehoods” and condoning of violence. They contend that honoring someone linked to the PFLP is “irresponsible” and contradicts the values upheld by the entertainment industry.
In response, Adam Sharp, president and CEO of NATAS, defended the nomination. He emphasized that the selection process involved two panels of experienced journalists and that there was no evidence of Owda’s current affiliation with the PFLP. Sharp stated, “NATAS does not intervene in or countermand the judgment of these journalists except when competition rules have been violated, nor does NATAS determine the eligibility or ineligibility of news reporting based on the political views represented.”
He further noted that the reports submitted for award consideration complied with competition rules and policies, and as a result, NATAS found no grounds to overturn the editorial judgment of the independent journalists who reviewed Owda’s work. Therefore, Owda will stay in the race.
Owda’s series, It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive, has already garnered significant acclaim, including a Peabody Award, which she accepted from a refugee camp in occupied Gaza. The 8-minute digital documentary, published by AJ+, a subsidiary of the Al Jazeera Media Network, chronicles her family’s struggle as they flee their home in Beit Hanoun, Gaza, amid relentless Israeli airstrikes. They sought refuge in Al Shifa Hospital, designated as a safe zone by the Israeli army, only for it to be invaded by Israeli troops, leaving behind a mass grave after a two-week military assault.
Over the past 10 months, Owda’s family has been displaced more than 10 times, struggling to survive amid continuous warfare. Through her work, Owda provides a harrowing look into the daily lives of Palestinians in Gaza during wartime, highlighting humanitarian challenges such as lack of hygiene products, food and water scarcity, limited medical supplies, and destroyed infrastructure. Her emotional and powerful reportage, often featuring her tearful outcry, has resonated with millions, garnering over 40 million views across various digital platforms.
What the photo-journalist is facing is a classic Zionist tactic to smear pro-Palestinian solidarity and undermine Palestinian achievements. Critics of her nomination, who view it as endorsing terror or spreading antisemitic rhetoric, are arguably complicit in ignoring the catastrophic realities of Gaza and the broader situation in occupied Palestine. The energy spent on challenging Owda’s Emmy nomination might be better directed at reassessing their perspectives and understanding the severe impact of the Israeli occupation.
The facts remain that, 10 months into Israel’s bloody war on Gaza, the Israeli army’s attacks left at least 40,000 Palestinians dead and over 92,000 wounded.
The Emmy winner in the category for which Bisen’s work has been shortlisted will be announced at the end of September.
