Emmys see gestures of support for both sides in Israel-Hamas war
Producer Ben Winston, accepting award for Elton John, dons yellow ribbon pin to highlight hostages’ plight; Crown actor Khalid Abdalla inks ‘Never again’ on palm, referring to Gaza
Celebrities attending the 75th Emmy award ceremony in Los Angeles on Monday drew attention to the war between Israel and Hamas, with producer Ben Winston wearing a yellow ribbon pin on his lapel, highlighting the plight of hostages held in Gaza, as he took to the stage to accept an award.
On the pro-Palestinian side, actor Khalid Abdalla of the hit television series “The Crown” walked the red carpet while displaying to the media the slogan “Never Again” drawn on the palm of his hand, in reference to allegations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
Winston accepted an Emmy on behalf of British singer Elton John, whose show “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium” won Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
John was unable to attend due to knee surgery, so Winston, who produced the show along with others, accepted it in his place, his yellow ribbon lapel pin gleaming brightly under the spotlights.
Winston made no mention of the conflict in Gaza as he accepted the award, telling the audience, “We did know this was going to be historic because it was going to be Elton’s last-ever show in North America.”
However, many viewers noticed his pin, earning him praise on social media from Israel supporters, and condemnation from others, including antisemitic slurs.
Palestinian terror group Hamas carried out a devastating October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. At least 240 others of all ages were abducted from Israel and taken as hostages in Gaza. Most are still being held.
Ever since the attack, Winston, who is British and Jewish, has highlighted the cause for freeing the hostages, as well as the impact of the Hamas atrocities on Israel. He has posted to social media about events related to the campaign to set the remaining hostages free.
Vowing to destroy the terror group, Israel launched a widescale military campaign in Gaza, which the Hamas-run health ministry has said killed over 24,000 people since. The figure cannot be independently verified and is believed to include both civilians and Hamas members killed in Gaza, including as a consequence of terror groups’ own rocket misfires. The IDF says it has killed over 9,000 operatives in Gaza, in addition to some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.
Abdalla, also British, has brought attention to the deaths in Gaza. On Tuesday, Abdalla posted photos of his protest at the Emmys on X, formerly Twitter.
He included a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Mourn the dead and fight like hell for the living.
The dove is from Bethlehem, the scales of justice for everywhere & the #ICJ.
Because all live are sacred.#MLKDay2024 #Emmys2024 #Oct7Day100… pic.twitter.com/yTMQJLtI28
— Khalid Abdalla (@khalidabdalla) January 16, 2024
“The dove is from Bethlehem, the scales of justice for everywhere & the ICJ,” he wrote, a reference to a case brought by South Africa to the International Court of Justice in The Hague that accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza.
It is not the first time that Abdalla has used his hands to deliver his views on the war. At a November screening ceremony of The Crown series six, he held up his hand to show the message “Ceasefire now.”
In The Crown series, Abdalla plays the part of Dodi Fayed, boyfriend to the late Princess Dianne. Fayed and Dianne were killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.