Free Palestine or Free Publicity?

Celeb soundbites don’t free Gaza. Hannah Einbinder’s Emmy sign-off proves Hollywood still loves applause more than accountability.

Last night at the Emmys, Hannah Einbinder closed her acceptance speech with “Free Palestine.” On its face, that’s a statement I deeply resonate with. I, too, long to see Palestinians free to live with dignity, opportunity, and safety. But the moment left me frustrated, because words like hers, dropped casually into the air without context or accountability, aren’t activism. They’re performance.

This isn’t new. Four months ago, I called out Hannah publicly after her “Fund Abortion, Not War” Instagram post. I explained how linking reproductive rights slogans with political messaging without grounding them in the reality of the people affected is not only confusing but dangerous. I know what it’s like to have real access to care: I had a safe, legal abortion in Israel two months before her post. I experienced firsthand how access to healthcare can be protected, supported, and safe. Contrast that with the reality for Palestinian women under Hamas, where abortion is restricted, unsafe, and often impossible. Performative slogans erase the suffering of the people they claim to help.

Saying “Free Palestine” at the Emmys without mentioning Hamas falls into the same trap. It’s a feel-good statement that ignores the context shaping Palestinian lives, particularly in Gaza. Ordinary Palestinians have been protesting Hamas for years, risking and often losing their lives demanding basic rights, better governance, and freedom from tyranny. Many were tortured and executed simply for speaking out. To ignore Hamas in a statement about Palestinian freedom is to erase the voices of those very Gazans fighting for their own liberation.

Even more troubling, Hannah chose not to mention the remaining 48 hostages currently held in Gaza. These are real people suffering right now, yet her applause line ignored their plight entirely. Solidarity isn’t just a slogan—it’s acknowledging who is truly being harmed and who is responsible.

I understand why “Free Palestine” resonates. It’s simple, emotional, and signals alignment with justice. But if Hannah truly cared about the people suffering in Gaza, she would name Hamas, the regime responsible for so much of that suffering. Solidarity isn’t applause lines. It’s nuance, courage, and centering the oppressed even when it’s uncomfortable.

Celebrity slacktivism is seductive because it’s Instagrammable and low-risk. You get standing ovations, viral tweets, and the appearance of moral alignment without confronting hard truths. Meanwhile, activists on the ground, Israelis and Palestinians working for coexistence and justice, carry the real work and bear the real consequences.

I want a free Palestine. But I also know who is really at fault: Hamas, the regime that steals aid, builds tunnels instead of schools, and murders its own people for dissent. Ignoring that reality betrays the people you claim to support.

Real activism isn’t easy, glamorous, or convenient. It means being willing to challenge the narrative, lose followers, and amplify the stories of those risking everything to speak truth.

If you’re going to say “Free Palestine,” mean it. Name the oppressors, all of them. Otherwise, it’s just another Hollywood soundbite, loud but empty.