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<h1>Group behind Emmys defends nomination of Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda</h1><p class="gmail-article__subhead"><em>The
American body responds to an open letter from a pro-Israel nonprofit
and others, asking it to rescind the AJ+ contributor’s nomination.</em></p><div class="gmail-responsive-image"><img src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bisan-Owda-1715263477.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80" alt="Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda" width="438" height="292" style="margin-right: 25px;"></div>Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda [YouTube]<div class="gmail-article-info-block"><div class="gmail-article-b-l"><div class="gmail-article-dates"><div class="gmail-date-simple gmail-css-1yjq2zp"><span class="gmail-screen-reader-text">Published On 21 Aug 2024</span><span aria-hidden="true"> -<font size="1"> </font></span><font size="1"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/21/group-behind-emmys-defends-nomination-of-palestinian-journalist-bisan-owda">https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/21/group-behind-emmys-defends-nomination-of-palestinian-journalist-bisan-owda</a></font></div></div></div><div class="gmail-social-share-buttons"><div class="gmail-update-reading-list"></div></div></div><div class="gmail-update-reading-list"><span class="gmail-update-reading-list__tooltip" role="tooltip"></span></div><a class="gmail-social-share-button" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Share on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.io%2Flovnn5"></a><a class="gmail-social-share-button" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Share on Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Group%20behind%20Emmys%20defends%20nomination%20of%20Palestinian%20journalist%20Bisan%20Owda&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.io%2Flovnn5"></a><a class="gmail-social-share-button gmail-copylink" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Copy link" href="https://aje.io/lovnn5"></a><p>The
National Academy for Television and Arts and Sciences (NATAS) has
defended its decision to nominate AJ+ contributor Bisan Owda for an Emmy
after Creative Community for Peace, a pro-Israel nonprofit
organisation, issued a letter criticising the nomination.</p>
<p>Owda, 25, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/9/bisan-owda-and-aj-win-peabody-award-for-gaza-war-coverage">from war-hit Gaza</a>,
was nominated along with AJ+ in the Outstanding Hard News Feature Story
category for the documentary, It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive.
AJ+ is part of the Al Jazeera Media Network.</p>
<p>The documentary follows her journey as she is forced to leave her home in Gaza City and displaced numerous times amid Israel’s <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/21/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-lebanon-us-says-deal-near">10-month war on Gaza</a>.</p>
<p>The letter alleges Owda was affiliated with the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which she has denied. The PFLP is a
left-wing Palestinian political movement, and is designated a “terrorist
organisation” by several Western countries, including the United
States.</p>
<p>Adam Sharp, the academy’s president and chief executive, defended the
nomination on Tuesday, saying that two panels, including experienced
journalists, had made the decision and that the academy had not found
any evidence that Owda was affiliated with the PFLP.</p>
<p>He said that past nominees had “been controversial, giving a platform
to voices that certain viewers may find objectionable or even
abhorrent”, but they were honoured “in the service of the journalistic
mission to capture every facet of the story”.</p>
<p>Al Jazeera issued a statement, saying it stood with Owda “in the face of efforts to silence her reporting from Gaza”.</p>
<p>The media group described Owda as a “renowned journalist and
influencer” who “has significantly contributed to bringing news from
Gaza to the world with her unique style”.</p>
<p>Al Jazeera said the allegations were “baseless” and “an attempt to
silence Bisan and present a real threat to her safety on the ground”.</p>
<p>“The call for the Emmy nomination to be rescinded is nothing more
than an attempt to deny an important perspective to the global audience
on the war and its devastating impact on innocent civilians,” the
statement read.</p>
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