Oscar winner Javier Bardem slams IOF over Palestinian 'dehumanization'
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The Oscar-winning Hollywood Spanish actor has strongly condemned the Israeli army’s conduct in Gaza, accusing it of adopting "Nazi-style dehumanization" against Palestinians.
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Actor Javier Bardem attends the premiere of ‘Everybody Knows’ at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, September 8, 2018 (AFP)
Spanish actor Javier Bardem denounced the Israeli occupation forces' (IOF) actions in Gaza, describing them as rooted in the “logic of terror and dehumanization.” In a video posted on Instagram, Bardem shared footage of an Israeli sniper shooting a Palestinian “for fun” and wrote: “The [IOF] are NAZIS.”
In his caption, the Oscar-winning actor compared the sniper’s actions to a chilling scene in Schindler’s List, invoking Nazi officer Amon Goth as a symbol of cruelty and impunity. “Today, that same logic of terror and dehumanization is what the [IOF] applies against the Palestinian people,” Bardem said.
The video Bardem referenced first circulated online in 2018, linked to a 2017 incident where an Israeli sniper shot and injured a Palestinian in the leg.
Bardem’s statement comes as Israeli aggression on Gaza continues, with reports of mass civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions. According to recent figures, over 62,100 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, alongside widespread destruction, hunger, and deaths from starvation.
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Bardem’s history of pro-Palestine advocacy
The Hollywood star is known for his outspoken support of Palestine. Bardem has previously condemned the Israeli government for committing what he called “crimes against humanity” in the Gaza Strip and urged international accountability.
“What is happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable, it is terrible, it is dehumanizing,” Bardem stated during a press conference at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain on September 20, 2024.
Read more: 'Israel' deliberately targets Gaza journalists to hide crimes: Report
Bardem also criticized Western complaicency in the ongoing Israeli aggressions on Gaza, stating at the same press conference, “I think that countries like the United States, Germany, and England in particular have to rethink their unconditional support when we are seeing crimes in human rights, crimes of international legality, such as prohibiting the entry of food, water, medicine, and electricity, as UNICEF says, is a war against children, and the trauma that this is generating for generations."
His continued criticism reflects a growing trend among cultural figures who use their platforms to highlight the suffering of Palestinians under the ongoing war on Gaza.
Civilian toll of the war on Gaza
A joint investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call recently revealed that five out of six Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza were civilians, according to the Israeli military’s own data.
The findings underscore Bardem’s concerns about systemic dehumanization. With thousands of families displaced, homes destroyed, and essential infrastructure shattered, Gaza continues to face one of the gravest humanitarian crises in its history.
Read more: Gaza Resistance targets Israeli troops, assets; casualties confirmed
