Art, Politics, and Morality: The Hollywood Discourse in the Context of the Middle East Conflict

On the night of April 14, over a span of 16 minutes, 185 attack UAVs, 36 cruise missiles, and 110 ballistic missiles were launched toward Israel from Iran, Yemen, and Iraq. CNN described the assault as the largest drone attack in world history.

The vast majority of the missiles were intercepted outside Israeli borders by its air defense forces, operating in conjunction with strategic partners. Several injuries were reported. Notably, alongside the United States, Great Britain, and France, the defense effort was aided by Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and several other nations that currently choose to remain anonymous.

That night demonstrated the breadth of Israel's alliance and its genuine friends. This makes the events of nearly a month prior feel all the more disheartening, when the British film 'The Zone of Interest,' which depicts the Auschwitz concentration camp, won two Academy Awards—for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound.

During the award ceremony, director and screenwriter Jonathan Glazer made an astonishing statement regarding the war between Israel and Hamas. He drew a moral equivalence between the Nazi regime, which aimed to exterminate the Jewish people, and the State of Israel, which has spent years resisting such intents. 'Our film shows where dehumanization leads,' he remarked. ' It has shaped our entire past and present. The victims of October 7 in Israel, or those of the ongoing war in Gaza—all are casualties of dehumanization.'

To reiterate: Glazer utilized the Oscar stage to equate the fanatical cruelty of Hamas with Israel's necessary self-defense. 

While the controversy surrounding Glazer’s Hollywood speech raged on, news emerged that prompted reflection on the role of creative arts in the modern world. In late March 2024, freelance photojournalist Ali Mahmoud was named among the winners of a global photography competition for his work for the Associated Press. The photograph depicted a Hamas pickup truck carrying the body of Shani Louk, a binational citizen of Israel and Germany, surrounded by cheering Hamas militants and local Palestinians. Shani Louk's death was later confirmed only through a fragment of her skull. Evidence suggests that the freelancer had prior knowledge of the attack and accompanied the terrorists to photograph the aftermath of their actions.

It appears that, unless courts rule otherwise, political correctness can be suspended to award prizes for photographing a desecrated Jewish woman and her triumphant, armed abusers. The Gaza-based photographer merely documented what the terrorists themselves were recording on their own cameras.

In response to Glazer’s Oscar speech, more than 1,000 Hollywood professionals signed an open letter stating: 'Every civilian death in Gaza is tragic. Israel is not targeting civilians but is acting against Hamas. When Hamas releases the hostages and surrenders, the heartbreaking war initiated by their attack on October 7 will end. Utilizing words like "occupation" to describe the Jewish people defending their host land, which spans thousands of years of heritage and is recognized as a state by the United Nations, distorts history. Such remarks lend credibility to modern blood libels, fueling rising anti-Jewish hatred worldwide, including in the United States and Hollywood. The current climate of escalating antisemitism only underscores the necessity of the Jewish State of Israel—a sanctuary that will always welcome us, which no state did during the Holocaust depicted in Glazer's film.'

Len Blavatnik, who financed the film and was on stage during the acceptance, distanced himself from Glazer’s message. His spokesperson told the prominent American publication 'Variety': 'His (Blavatnik’s) long-standing support for Israel remains unwavering.'

The Hollywood incident, centered around a modern 'blood libel,' sparked public debate concerning the root causes of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment in Western societies. President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Michael Mirilashvili spoke unequivocally: 'A talented director utilized a Hollywood platform to insult the memory of those perished both during the Holocaust and on October 7 in Israel. Glazer's words diminish the significance of the Holocaust, justify crimes of the most heinous nature, and thereby embolden proponents of terror. Irrespective of political views, Glazer's speech stands as an example of antisemitic trends and classical self-hatred, and deserves absolute condemnation.'

In these troubling times, we revisit the classics. There is nothing more fitting than the Passover Haggadah, which Jewish families will read next week at the Seder table, recounting the Exodus from slavery to freedom in their own land: 'In every generation they rise against us to destroy us, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, delivers us from their hands.' Today, as in the days of Moses, Exodus is less about geography and more about recognizing one’s place in history. While hope and faith in a higher power are essential, they demand the active dedication of the nation and its leaders. Today, as then, not everyone is able or willing to grasp the gravity of the situation. Some prefer to remain in the very place from which Moses was called to lead the Jewish people "with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm."

Following the Hamas onslaught and the Iranian missile strikes, Israel remains a symbol of the struggle for security and survival. The Israeli people, despite all internal challenges, errors, and a profound political crisis, continue to stand firm against barbarism and death.