US Director Gives top Gaza Voice in Venice

CrossFireArabia
Culture
September 8, 2024

Gaza got top billing at the awards ceremony in the Venice Film Festival. Many film-makers, directors, producers and actors voiced their support for the Palestinians and spoke against Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza at the 81^st Venice International Festival.

“I stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and their struggle for liberation”

Jewish American filmmaker Sarah Friedland speaks in solidarity with the Palestinian people on the 336th day of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and 76th year of occupation as she accepts the Luigi… pic.twitter.com/UjQGPc0L6y
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 8, 2024

“As a Jewish American artist working in a time-based medium, I must note, I’m accepting this award on the 336th day of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and 76th year of occupation,” said U.S. director Sarah Friedland. She won top the Luigi de Laurentiis prize for best first film for Familiar Touch.

Jewish filmmaker Sarah Friedland dedicates her award to Gaza

“I am accepting this award on the 336th day of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza and 76th year of occupation. I stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine in their struggle for liberation.” pic.twitter.com/TH369ed8R9
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) September 8, 2024

“…it is our responsibility as filmmakers to use the institutional platforms through which we work to redress Israel’s impunity on the global stage. I stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and their struggle for liberation,” she continued.

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

Culture

Burning Muslim Civilization

CrossFireArabia
April 1, 2025

Omar Hamad writes:

The French scientist Pierre Curie said: “If the books of Muslims had not been burned in Andalusia, we would be roaming among the galaxies today.

He also added that: “After the fall of the Islamic Andalusian civilization, we were able to split the atom with the help of 30 scientific books written by Muslims.”

Muslim libraries have been burned multiple times. Among them was the Library of Baghdad, which was destroyed by the Tatars and contained more than a million books, making it the largest library in human history.

The Crusades also burned a vast number of scientific books authored by Muslim scholars. Additionally, the fall of Al-Andalus—the state of science, knowledge, technology, and civilization—marked another great loss.

And these Zionists continue on the same path, burning books, science, technology, and civilization. They have burned trees, stones, humans, homes, and humanity itself.”

Culture