Terrorist-tied Emmy nominee may win third award for Gaza series

A Gazan documentary series created by a woman with alleged ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization may add an Emmy to her collection of two media awards after organizers on Tuesday defended the nomination from mounting calls for its disqualification. 

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) President and CEO Adam Sharp stood by the Emmy nomination of Bisan Atef Owda and her series “It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive" for the 2024 News & Documentary category, arguing in a letter to  Creative Community For Peace (CCFP) that the organization could not corroborate that Owda had been involved with the PFLP years ago, and that it had not seen any evidence that she was currently involved with the US State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization. 

Middle East Analyst Eitan Fischberger reported on July 27 that there were articles on the PFLP website that featured Owda as a member of the terrorist organization's youth wing. According to the official PFLP website, Owda opened four ceremonies in 2014, 2016, and 2018, which in two cases involved honoring slain terrorists. Palestinian outlet Al Watan Voice allegedly reported that in 2015 Owda, garbed in military fatigues and red PFLP paraphernalia, spoke at and opened a march in which participants held swords and knives.

The Jerusalem Post previously reported that Owda had written in the wake of the October 7 Massacre that "For every action, there is a reaction. This means: What was expected after 75 years of occupation and 17 years of siege? What was expected of us? Would the families of the prisoners remain silent?"

Sharp said that nomination submissions were reviewed by experienced journalists from different outlets, and that the content was consistent with competition. NATAS found no grounds to overturn the judgments. 

"The News & Documentary Emmys have recognized excellence in television journalism for nearly half a century," wrote Sharp. "The honored programs and reports have taken viewers to the front lines of every world conflict, probed political and cultural divides, and sought to illuminate even the darkest circumstances. Some of these works have been controversial, giving a platform to voices that certain viewers may find objectionable or even abhorrent. But all have been in the service of the journalistic mission to capture every facet of the story."

Entertainment industry leaders condemn decision with open letter

The NATAS statement to CCFP came in response to the issuance of its Monday open letter signed by 150 entertainment industry leaders, including producer Haim Saban, Actress Debra Messing, and Actress Selma Blair. The letter asserted that NATAS was honoring "an individual who has actively participated in PFLP rallies and disseminated antisemitic content legitimizes a terrorist organization and undermines the integrity of the Emmys."

“The Emmy's decision to honor someone with clear ties to a US-designated terrorist group is inexcusable and should have never happened," said CCFP executive director Ari Ingel. “If the Emmys don’t change course and rescind this nomination, they will be glorifying someone who is a member of an organization that has carried our numerous aircraft hijackings, participated in the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, carried out waves of bombings on markets and restaurants and murdered innocent women and children. The Emmys cannot allow their prestigious award show to be hijacked by terrorists, and instead should continue to promote peace and tolerance through the arts."

After Owda's nomination on July 25, Zachor Legal Institute on August 8 also issued a letter calling on NATAS to disqualify her, also attacking the Qatari government-funded Al Jazeera studio AJ+ that published Owda's series alleging it provided coverage whitewashing Gazan terrorist organizations and a Holocaust denial and conspiracy video. 

Sharp noted in his letter that "It's Bisan from Gaza and I'm Still Alive," which documents the life of the titular 25-year-old Gazan during the early stages of the war against Hamas, had already won two other media awards.

The program won the 2024 Edward R. Murrow Award for a News Series last Thursday and on May 9 won a 2024 Peabody Award.