Emmy Defends Palestinian Journalist Bisan’s Nomination (image-instagram/ wizard_bisan1)
Bisan Owda, the Palestinian journalist from war-hit Gaza was nominated along with AJ+ in the Outstanding Hard News Feature Story Category for the documentary.
Demanding the rescind of the documentary, Creative Community for Peace, a pro-Israel non-profit organization, issued a letter on Monday. More than 150 signatories signed Monday’s open letter about the Emmy nomination, including music and film executives and performers like Selma Blair and Debra Messing.
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However, the National Academy for Television and Arts and Science (NATAS) defended its decision to nominate Bisan for the Emmy award.
The letter stated that Bisan was affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which she has denied.
The PFLP is a left-wing Palestinian political movement and is designated a “terrorist organization” by several Western countries including the United States.
The letter stated: “Choosing to elevate someone with clear ties to the PFLP not only legitimizes a terrorist organization, it undermines the integrity of the awards,” adding that the nomination was deeply troubling “given the creator’s history of promoting dangerous falsehoods, spreading antisemitism and condoning violence.”
Bisan’s documentary “It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive” follows their journey as she is forced to leave her home in Gaza amid the war and her further displacement several times.
Adam Sharp, the academy’s president and chief executive, defended the nomination saying that the panel included experienced journalists and the academy has not found any evidence regarding Bisan’s connection with the PFLP.
Clarifying their stance, they said that even when the past nominees had been controversial, giving a platform to voices that certain viewers may find objectionable or even abhorrent, they were honored “in the service of the journalistic mission to capture every facet of the story”.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera too released a statement saying it stood with Bisan “in the face of efforts to silence her reporting from Gaza”.
The media further added that the allegations were “baseless” and “an attempt to silence Bisan and present a real threat to her safety on the ground”.
The young journalist, activist, and filmmaker, who is in her 20s, with the limited resources available, documented the plightful journey of her family as they fled the bombardment. Reporting through tears and horror, Bisan drew her indomitable spirit to keep the world informed.
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Her documentary has already received a Peabody Award and an Edward R Murrow Award, two prominent prizes in journalism.
The documentary is now nominated in the category Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form, where it is competing against two other broadcasts from Gaza, by CNN and the Guardian, as well as a report from Ukraine by The New York Times and one from Haiti by PBS.
The award will be announced next month in New York.
