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Trump's Ban Blocks Palestinian Actor from Oscar Ceremony

3/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed a ban restricting entry for Palestinian Authority-issued documents, preventing Motaz Malhees (Palestinian actor) from attending the Oscars.
Malhees stars in The Voice of Hind Rajab, an Oscar-nominated film about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in 2024.
He posted on Instagram, "You can block a passport. You cannot block a voice."
The Oscars will air on Sunday, March 15, 2026, as tensions in Gaza continue.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed a ban restricting entry for Palestinian Authority-issued documents, preventing Motaz Malhees (Palestinian actor) from attending the Oscars.
Malhees stars in The Voice of Hind Rajab, an Oscar-nominated film about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in 2024.
He posted on Instagram, "You can block a passport. You cannot block a voice."
The Oscars will air on Sunday, March 15, 2026, as tensions in Gaza continue.