Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees said on Friday that he will be unable to travel to the United States for this weekend's Academy Awards because of a travel restriction that blocks entry to holders of travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.
Malhees, who plays a call center operator in the film, has a leading role in 'The Voice of Hind Rajab,' which is nominated for the Oscar for best international feature film. The movie centers on the death of a five-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza in 2024; the girl, Hind Rajab, was killed by Israeli fire, according to the film's subject matter. Malhees said he hoped to attend the ceremony but was prevented by the ban.
Posting on Instagram, Malhees wrote that he is not permitted to enter the United States because of his Palestinian citizenship and that it "hurts" that he will not be present at the Oscars. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the actor's situation.
The travel restriction stems from a December presidential proclamation that, according to its text, seeks to "fully restrict and limit the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority." The proclamation cited security reasons for the limitations on entry for certain foreign nationals.
The circumstances portrayed in 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' were prompted by an incident in which five members of Rajab's family and two ambulance workers who went to assist her were also killed by Israeli fire. The film draws its narrative from that event. Israeli authorities have said the incident is under review.
Context and immediate effects
Malhees's announcement highlights a direct intersection between U.S. immigration policy and participation in international cultural events. The actor's inability to attend the Oscars prevents him from representing a work that has received major recognition on the global film stage. The U.S. government point of contact had not provided a public response at the time of reporting.
What is known and what remains unclear
The factual elements are clear: Malhees is barred from entering the United States because of his Palestinian citizenship under the presidential proclamation; his film is nominated for best international feature film; the film concerns a 2024 incident that resulted in civilian deaths; Israeli authorities say they are reviewing that incident. Questions remain about whether any case-specific waivers or exceptions might be applicable, as no official response had been provided by the U.S. State Department.