Javier Bardem was no longer comfortable staying silent in Gaza.
The Spanish actor spoke about the conflict between Israel and Hamas while accepting an award at the San Sebastian Film Festival last week. In subtle remarks, Bardem condemned Hamas' attacks and the “massive punishment endured by the Palestinian people.”
He ordered an immediate cease-fire, the release of Hamas hostages, and the October 7 attack to be tried by the International Criminal Court, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Hamas leaders, some of whom are now dead. I asked for
In an interview with The Associated Press, Bardem explained why he chose to speak out.
“I believe that we can and must contribute to achieving peace. If we take a different approach, we will get a different result,” Bardem said on Tuesday's Iranian attack on Israel. He previously spoke to the Associated Press. “The security and prosperity of Israel and the health and future of a free Palestine can only be achieved through a culture of peace, coexistence and respect.”
Israeli attacks have already killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, displaced the majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents and destroyed much of the impoverished territory, according to Gaza health officials. Palestinian militants are still holding about 110 hostages taken in the October 7 attack that started the war, in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. . According to Israeli authorities, about a third of the 110 people have already died.
The war has caused sharp divisions in Hollywood over the past year, where public support for Israel and Palestine has sparked backlash and bullying, along with accusations of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, costing people jobs. are. Even silence had its consequences. The #blockout2024 movement put pressure on celebrities who weren't speaking out or weren't saying enough to take a stand.
“Why now?” Bardem said. “Because, as they say, or as we now see, continuing to stall negotiations and returning to the previous status quo, embarking on a race to further violations of international law, will perpetuate war. , because it will ultimately push us off a cliff.”
Bardem said that while anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are real and serious problems in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, these terms are used to distract from the “legitimate right to criticize the actions of the Israeli government and Hamas.” He emphasized that
“We are witnessing crimes against human rights, crimes under international law, such as bans on food, water, medicine, electricity, wars against children, as UNICEF puts it, and crimes created over generations. “The use of trauma,'' Bardem said. “We cannot remain indifferent to this.”
The Oscar winner, who was born in the Canary Islands and raised Catholic but is no longer a Catholic, has previously spoken out on world issues, writing an open letter calling for peace during the 2014 conflict between Israel and Hamas. and gave a lecture a few years ago. He narrated a documentary for the United Nations Committee on Refugees in Western Sahara. He is also an environmental activist and spoke at the United Nations on ocean protection in 2019.
“My mother taught me the importance of treating all human beings equally, regardless of skin color, ethnicity, religion, nationality, social and economic status, ability, or sexuality,” Bardem said. said. “Behavior informs us, but that's what makes me curious about people. That's why I've always been concerned about discrimination of all kinds, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Also included.
Bardem is married to Penelope Cruz and they have two children.
Beyond the fear that the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was at stake, he said he had seen up close the impact of the conflict and the possibilities for a different approach. Two of his closest friends, one Israeli and one Palestinian, lost their daughters to violence years ago and bonded over their shared pain and desire to help create positive change. I have deepened my knowledge.
The fathers, Bassam Alamin and Rami Elhanan, are members of a nonprofit called Parents Circle Families Forum, which focuses on reconciliation. They wrote the following letter to Mr. Bardem: “What happened to us is like nuclear energy. It can be used for further destruction. Or it can be used to bring light. Losing your daughter is painful in both situations. But we love our lives. We want to exist. Therefore, we use this pain to support change, not to dig graves. To build a bridge.”
Bardem added: “The idea is to build bridges, not dig graves. That's why it's so urgent and important.”
