Mohammad Bakri, the Palestinian actor and filmmaker whose career spanned more than four decades, has died at the age of 72, according to the Times of Israel.
His family confirmed that he passed away at a hospital in Nahariya following a prolonged struggle with heart disease.
Mr Bakri leaves behind six children, comprising five sons and a daughter.
The actor became widely recognised as a pioneering figure in Palestinian cinema, though his work frequently courted controversy, most notably his 2002 documentary Jenin, Jenin.
Mohammad Bakri died following a battle with heart disease
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His CV also boasts a number of parts in several Hollywood productions. He starred alongside Claire Danes in Showtime’s Homeland as the character of Abdul Qadir G’ulom. The series aired on Channel 4 in the UK.
Mr Bakri also appeared opposite Anthony Hopkins and Iwan Rheon in Peacock’s historic drama Those About to Die. Rupert Penry-Jones, Sara Martins, and Gabriella Pession also star.
He also appeared in front of the camera with Ray Winstone in Of Kings and Prophets, as well as starring in Amazon Prime Video’s House of David.
Born in 1953 in the village of Bi’ina in northern Israel, Mr Bakri established himself as the first major Palestinian film star, appearing in both Israeli and international productions whilst also directing documentaries focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Mohammad Bakri was 72
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Following his secondary education in the nearby city of Akko, Mr Bakri pursued acting and Arabic literature at Tel Aviv University, enrolling in 1973 and completing his studies three years later.
His professional stage career began at some of Israel’s most prestigious venues, including Habima Theatre in Tel Aviv, Haifa Theatre, and the Khan Theatre.
The actor’s major breakthrough arrived with the 1984 prison drama Beyond the Walls, in which he took the lead role as a PLO detainee who forms an unlikely alliance with a Jewish prisoner.
The film garnered multiple awards and capitalised on shifting Israeli public sentiment following the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
Homeland was an award-winning drama featuring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis
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Mr Bakri also gained international recognition through Costa-Gavras’s 1983 film Hanna K., playing a Palestinian refugee seeking to reclaim his family’s home.
His most contentious work proved to be the 53-minute documentary Jenin, Jenin, produced in 2002 following Operation Defensive Shield.
The Israeli Film Board initially banned Jenin, Jenin after just three screenings, arguing it presented only a single viewpoint rather than functioning as a genuine documentary.
