Israeli consulate pulls support of Atlanta Jewish Film Festival over judge
The consulate general of Israel covering the U.S. Southeast on Friday pulled its partnership and financial support of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival after accusing the festival of not removing a judge “who has publicly shared antisemitic and anti-Israel content,” according to a social media post.
In the midst of its 26th annual run, which began Feb. 18 and goes until March 15, the nonprofit group posted an apology Sunday night on social media.
“The festival fell short in our internal processes regarding the recent jury matter,” the AJFF said in a social media post. “We regret and share in the depth of concern expressed by members of our community and the distress it has caused.”
The AJFF acknowledged and accepted responsibility for “clear deficiencies, gaps, and adherence issues in our existing organizational processes and policies” regarding antisemitism and related topics. It promised to review its policies regarding how it selects its judges in the future.
It also said it appreciates “the longstanding relationship we have shared and we remain open to continued dialogue” with the consulate.
The local consulate, which is led by Eitan Weiss, provided a response to the AJFF’s apology on Wednesday: “AJFF’s apology is a good step in the right direction. Nevertheless it remains to be seen if they will incorporate the necessary measures to prevent this from ever happening again. Eventually we look at actions more than apologies.”
None of the AJFF’s statements posted on social media identify who the judge in question is, but one of the three judges for films focused on human rights was Anwar Karim, a Morehouse College student and acting president of the Morehouse Muslim Student Association.
Karim declined to comment to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Weiss told Southern Jewish Life that when he saw the festival program, he was surprised to see Karim wearing a green kaffiyeh, which symbolizes Palestinian solidarity. The consulate checked Karim’s social posts and found a “problematic past.”
Karim judging the human rights category in a Jewish film festival, Weiss said, was “a disgrace.”
In a Feb. 18, 2024, video that is no longer on Karim’s Instagram but is still available on Vimeo, Karim read his poem “Devils’ Work” in which he says, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
That’s a common phrase supporters of Palestine use calling for the freedom of Palestinians under occupation, but for critics and pro-Israel groups, it’s often seen as a call for an elimination of Israel.
In the video, Karim criticized Israel multiple times, comparing its actions in Gaza to the Trail of Tears in the United States when the government forcibly removed Native Americans from the Southeast.
“Babies being killed after having no access to meals and the leaders of Israel saying let them die,” Karim said. “How you step aside and let it fly, when you see this genocide that’s been going on for years like 75 (years) and the fast spread of lies is only on the rise. Israel said they settled now just colonized.”
In the poem, he also said, “Step onto your porch, women, men and children being murdered just for sport, but remember when in court they took your land by force … How dare they use the star to justify the occupation?”
Karim in the video also argued that Israel stole land to form the country in 1948: “If you had to steal that, understand it’s not a national homeland, how you show that romance. What’s a Zionist, a white supremacist trying to pose as a nomad.”
The consulate said in its statement that “the spread of misinformation and antisemitic rhetoric undermines the integrity of the festival and should disqualify them (the judge) from participating in any aspect of the related events.”
Weiss told Southern Jewish Life that the consulate gave the AJFF time to review Karim’s posts before festival judging began. AJFF decided to keep him on as a juror. After the consulate’s announcement Friday, the AJFF said after reviewing his social media posts, “we concluded that the student could participate appropriately within the structure of our deliberations.”
The AJFF said Friday it invited Karim “based on a strong recommendation, academic focus, engagement with film, and demonstrated interest in bridge building through storytelling.”
On Monday, the AJFF said “our work has always centered on bridge-building through Jewish storytelling and film, and that commitment remains unchanged. At the same time, we recognize that growth requires reflection, and we are committed to thoughtful evaluation and continued dialogue in the weeks ahead.”
The festival has multiple levels of sponsors and about 600 donors in total. The Israeli consulate this year is listed at the “partner” level, which means a donation of up to $5,000.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, a top-level presenting sponsor, said future funding to the film festival from that organization “will be contingent upon demonstrated follow-through, including clarified policies, strengthened vetting processes, and consistent operationalization of those standards. We have every faith that AJFF will fulfill its commitments, and we look forward to seeing the festival thrive with strengthened policies that reinforce trust and confidence across our community.”
The AJC is a sponsor of the festival as well.
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
