Palestinian Actor Barred from Oscars by US Travel Ban

Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees announced Thursday that he will be unable to attend the Academy Awards on Sunday, where his film "The Voice of Hind Rajab" is nominated for best international feature, due to a U.S. travel ban on holders of Palestinian Authority passports. The restriction, expanded by President Donald Trump in December 2025, prevents Malhees from entering the country despite his lead role in the docudrama, which recounts the final hours of 5-year-old Hind Rajab before her death in Gaza in January 2024.

In an Instagram post, Malhees wrote, "Three days left to the Oscars. Our film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, is nominated for an Academy Award. I had the honor of playing one of the lead roles in a story the world needed to hear. But I will not be there. I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship." He added, "It hurts. But here is the truth: You can block a passport. You cannot block a voice. I am Palestinian, and I stand with pride and dignity. My spirit will be with The Voice of Hind Rajab that night. Good luck to all of you. Our story is bigger than any barrier, and it will be heard."

Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben...