Palestinian actor to miss Oscars over Trump travel ban

WorldPolitics
14 Mar 2026 • 4:35 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees is unable to attend the Academy Awards despite his film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, being nominated for Best International Feature Film.
  • Malhees's inability to enter the United States stems from his Palestinian citizenship and a travel ban instituted by Donald Trump, which restricts entry for individuals with Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents.
  • The Voice of Hind Rajab is a harrowing drama about five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who, along with her family and the EMTs attempting to save her, was killed by Israeli forces in 2024.
  • Malhees, who plays a lead role as a Red Crescent volunteer in the film, expressed his disappointment on Instagram, stating, "You can block a passport. You cannot block a voice."
  • The critically acclaimed film reconstructs Hind Rajab's final moments, interspersing re-enactments with raw audio from her emergency call, where she pleaded for help before her death.

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