A group of celebrity activists are trying to destigmatize being Palestinian, telling the human stories of
an oppressed nation in a new documentary.
The documentary “
Walled Off,” takes its title from a
hotel owned by anonymous British street artist Banksy in the biblical city of Bethlehem. Located a few steps from Israel’s imposing
separation barrier that runs through the occupied West Bank, it bills itself as the hotel with the “worst view in the world.”
Inside, the walls are decorated with
Banksy’s artwork depicting satirical views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also has a museum dedicated to informing visitors about the separation wall and providing historical context on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In many ways, the two filmmakers themselves personify that genre of Palestinians who have shot to fame in the US – but not as “victims” or “terrorists.” Anwar Hadid, with 6.5 million followers on Instagram, is a model and musician but has used his platform to advocate for Palestinian rights. Similarly, his sisters, supermodels
Gigi and
Bella Hadid, with a combined Instagram following of around 140 million, have repeatedly spoken out for Palestinians, and often faced a backlash for it. Other such Palestinian-American celebrities include comedian
Mo Amer, who has a
show on Netflix about being Palestinian in America, and Grammy award-winning rapper
DJ Khaled.
by omission? 
