Over 450 Jewish Hollywood professionals have penned an open letter denouncing director Jonathan Glazer's remarks at the Oscars.
Signatories include actresses Julianna Margulies, Debra Messing, and Tovah Feldshuh, directors Eli Roth and Rod Lurie, and producers Gerry Gilbert, Lawrence Bender, Amy Pascal, and Sherry Lansing.
Glazer sparked controversy with his speech, stating he "refuses to use Jewishness and the Holocaust as justification for the occupation," referring to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In response, the letter authors state: “We refuse to have our Jewishness used to equate the Nazi regime, which sought to destroy a race of people, with the Israeli nation, which seeks to prevent its own destruction.”
“Describing the indigenous Jewish population's defense of their homeland for thousands of years as ‘occupation,’ a right recognized by the United Nations, distorts history,” the letter says. “It perpetuates a modern blood libel, inciting hatred against Jews worldwide, including in the United States and Hollywood."
According to Variety, Glazer's speech stirred controversy in Hollywood circles. While many filmmakers privately condemned his words, they were met with applause at the Oscars.
Stranger Things star Brett Gelman, also a signatory, criticized Glazer's lack of consideration for Jewish reactions, especially given the silence on hostage situations.
Director Jonathan Jakubowicz, known for the Holocaust film Resistance, argues that “if Israel existed in the 1930s and '40s, Auschwitz wouldn't have existed.” He criticized Glazer for exploiting the memory of Holocaust victims to attack those aiding survivors.
Billionaire Len Blavatnik, the film's executive producer, distanced himself from Glazer's comments, affirming his full support for Israel. Another producer, Danny Cohen, emphasized his unconditional support for Israel and blamed Hamas for the Gaza conflict.
