21st Century Wire says…
An unexpected silver lining to the cloud of Trump’s visa ban, came to light a few days ago when it was announced that the White Helmet representatives would not be permitted entry into the US, under the new legislation that will be enforced for the next ninety days. The multi million dollar, NATO and Gulf state funded, pseudo humanitarian, Nusra Front aka Al Qaeda “civil defence” group, has, yet again, been thwarted, in its quest for red carpet honour and recognition.
The following is a report from RT:
Two members of the controversial White Helmets organization that operates in Syria have been barred from attending the Academy Awards, the producer of a documentary featuring the NGO said. The film has been nominated for an Oscar.
White Helmets leader Raed Saleh and cinematographer Khaled Khateeb, both Syrian, were invited to the 2017 Academy Awards by Joanna Natasegara, the producer of a short documentary about the organization available on Netflix. The documentary film ‘The White Helmets’ has been nominated for an Oscar, along with four other contestants.
Natasegara expressed her outrage over the new development in a statement:
“They’ve been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize,” she said. “These people are the bravest humanitarians on the planet, and the idea that they could not be able to come with us and enjoy that success is just abhorrent.”
The travel ban for seven predominantly Muslim countries imposed by US President Donald Trump last week also affected acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, whose film The Salesman is nominated in the Foreign Language category, and Syrian woman Hala Kamil, the subject of Watani: My Homeland, another nomination for the short documentary award.
This is not the first time Saleh has been banned from entering the United States. In April 2016, he had to return to Istanbul after discovering that his visa had been cancelled by the US. This prevented him from receiving an award in Washington at a gala party supported by White Helmets sponsor USAID.
The White Helmets, who also call themselves the Syrian Civil Defense, have been touted as a non-political aid organization focused on saving lives in war-torn Syria. The Oscar-nominated documentary depicts them in line with that narrative.
Critics say it is a foreign-funded propaganda vehicle closely aligned with Islamist militant groups opposing the Syrian government. Members of the group have been accused of stealing vehicles, rescue equipment, and its very name from the government-run Syrian Civil Defense, an organization with a decades-long record of rescue operations in Syria.
The following is a film produced by Steve Ezzedine of Hands Off Syria, Sydney exposing the Netflix documentary as a propaganda vehicle for this Al Qaeda support group:
***
LINKS & MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WHITE HELMETS:
Original investigative report:
The REAL Syria Civil Defence Exposes Fake White Helmets as Terrorist-Linked Imposters
White Helmets: ‘A Pseudo NGO’
CrossTalk: ‘White Helmets, Really?’ with Vanessa Beeley, Eva Bartlett & Patrick Henningsen
Report by Patrick Henningsen
AN INTRODUCTION: Smart Power & The Human Rights Industrial Complex
Open Letter by Vanessa Beeley
White Helmets Campaign for War NOT Peace – Retract RLA & Nobel Peace Prize Nominations
Staged Rescue Videos
(VIDEO) White Helmets: Miraculous ‘Rag Doll Rescue’
Mainstream Media: Fake News
CNN’s Claim That ‘White Helmets Center in Damascus’ Was Hit by a Barrel Bomb
White Helmets and Mayday Rescue:
The Syrian Civil Defence: Wikipedia
21st Century Wire compilation of key information on the White Helmets:
Who are the Syria White Helmets?
21st Century Wire article on the White Helmets:
Syria’s White Helmets: War by Way of Deception ~ the “Moderate” Executioners
Cory Morningstar report:
Investigation into the funding sources of the White Helmets, Avaaz, Purpose, The Syria Campaign
Report by Scott Ritter:
The ‘White Helmets’ and the Inherent Contradiction of America’s Syria Policy
Open letter to Canada’s NDP Leader on Nobel Prize:
Letter to NDP from Prof. John Ryan protesting White Helmet nomination for RLA and Nobel Peace Prize
White Helmets: Bogus Claims:
‘We Saved 60,000’ – Bogus Claim by Syria’s White Helmets Raises Even More Questions
READ MORE SYRIA NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Syria Files
SUPPORT 21WIRE and its work by Subscribing and becoming a Member @ 21WIRE.TV