Vienna film festival criticised for ignoring Palestinian suffering

The Jewish organisation Women in Black criticised the 8th International Human Rights Film Festival that was held in the Austrian capital Vienna for not displaying films about the suffering of the Palestinian people in light of “the Israeli occupation of its territory”.

In a press statement, the organisation expressed its strong dissatisfaction because “festival officials had ignored displaying films on the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people since its first edition in 2007”.

The festival, which will run from December 4-13, includes 21 documentaries, fiction films and short films from several countries. The films deal with human rights from different approaches, such as education, freedom, politics, sex, history, life, mobility, equality, health, treatment and access to water.

Women in Black wondered why the festival deliberately turned a blind eye to the daily suffering of the Palestinian people, which is being dealt with by global media.

The statement asked if the concept of human rights differs when it comes to the Palestinians who are suffering as a result of the Israeli occupation.

Women in Black was founded in Israel in 1988, which advocates for Palestinians rights, supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with international agreements, and protests against Israeli practices against the Palestinian people.

According to an Anadolu Agency correspondent, no comments have been made by the Palestinian and Arab bodies regarding the omitting of films relating to the Palestinian cause.

However, George Nicholas, the honorary president of the Palestinian community in Austria, told Anadolu that “ignoring the suffering of the Palestinians by cultural and artistic institutions in Europe, which have an impact on the public, is always deliberate.”

The first edition of the festival, which is supported by the Austrian government, started in 2007, and is held in December of each year.