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A group of 22 Hollywood writers has penned an open letter calling out the Writers Guild of America for not issuing a statement condemning the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America each issued statements last week condemning the attack. The writers group — including Eli Roth, Mike Weiss, Amy Chozick, Ellen Rapoport and Seth Fisher — issued the letter on Sunday, noting that the WGA had not made a similar statement.

The letter notes that the WGA issued statements in support of Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movement.

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“But when terrorists invaded Israel to murder, rape, and kidnap Jews… the Guild stayed silent,” they wrote. “It remains the only major Hollywood union to do so.”

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The WGA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The DGA condemned the attacks in a statement on Wednesday. SAG-AFTRA followed suit on Friday, and also canceled picketing outside the studios that day due to security concerns.

Several Hollywood studios have also issued either public statements or internal memos condemning the attacks, including Paramount Global, Comcast, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Roth was also among a group of executives who denounced the attacks and expressed solidarity with Israel in a statement on Thursday.

The writers’ open letter argues that silences “speak volumes.”

“The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people is complex and full of nuance, but the crimes committed on October 7th were simple and cruel,” the letter states. “If we cannot stand up to call it what it is — a monstrous act of barbarity — then we have lost the plot.”

The DGA, in its statement on Wednesday, said, “We stand against the growing spread of antisemitism here in the US and abroad, and remain committed in our actions, words and deeds to supporting the Jewish people.”

SAG-AFTRA called the attacks “a fundamental violation of human rights and dignity,” and called for the safe return of Israeli hostages.

“We stand united against hatred and violence and pray for peace,” the actors’ union said.

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Update: 2024-09-21

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