Mia Khalifa is celebrating the unprecedented Oscar win Sunday night for the documentary film No Other Land, a joint Israeli-Palestinian production highlighting the brutal Israeli occupation of the West Bank, as Israel goes into meltdown over the strong message coming against its practices from the Academy Awards.
Reacting to the acceptance speech by the film’s producers Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, Khalifa posted on X: “FREE PALESTINE” and reposted links and clips of the historic moment.
Mia Khalifa is a Lebanese-American former adult film actress turned activist and social media influencer.
Khalifa, who garners millions of followers on her social media platforms, has gained attention in recent years after she waded into politics and social issues.Â
She has also been expressing strong views in support of the Palestinian people during Israel’s war on Gaza, earning her the ire of supporters of the Jewish state and its genocidal actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In October, US adult entertainment enterprise Playboy announced it had cut ties with Mia Khalifa for statements she made after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.
The documentary, a collaboration between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, documents the destruction of Masafer Yatta, an area in the occupied West Bank, by Israeli forces.Â
Meanwhile, Israeli actor Gal Gadot appears to have snubbed the film, anticipating it would win the Oscar, reportedly asking to change categories to present at the ceremony at the last minute.
Gadot, a vocal supporter of Israel, previously served in the Israeli Defence Forces and has publicly expressed her backing for the country during its genocide in Gaza. In 2023, she joined other public figures in signing an open letter supporting Israel amid the war on Gaza.
Gadot took to the stage alongside her Snow White co-star Rachel Zegler to present the award for Best Visual Effects. However, she had initially been listed as a presenter for Best Documentary Feature—an award ultimately handed out by Samuel L. Jackson and Selena Gomez.
Neither the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nor Gadot herself has provided an explanation for the change, but commentators have suggested that the decision may have been linked to the winning pro-Palestine film.
The Snow White co-stars were paired as presenters despite speculation that they do not get along, particularly due to their opposing political views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Gadot has been criticised for her pro-Israel stance, while Zegler has publicly supported Palestine.
The casting of the Disney film was met with controversy, with some activists calling for a boycott over Gadot’s involvement. Zegler appeared to lend support to those critics when, after thanking fans for their reaction to the film’s trailer, she posted: “And always remember, free Palestine.”
Neither actor has publicly addressed any tensions between them.
