Mohammad Bakri, a prominent Palestinian actor and director known for his roles in 'Homeland' and the documentary 'Jenin, Jenin,' has died in Israel at age 72. He passed away on December 24 from heart and lung issues. Bakri's career highlighted the complexities of Palestinian identity amid ongoing conflict.
Mohammad Bakri, born in northern Israel, built a distinguished career as an actor and director, often exploring themes of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, oppression, and liberation. He died on December 24, 2025, at a hospital in Nahariya, Israel, from heart and lung issues, according to reports from the Associated Press and local news. He was 72 years old. His funeral took place the same day in his birthplace, al-Bi’neh.
Bakri first gained international recognition as an actor in the 1984 Israeli drama 'Beyond the Walls,' an intense prison story that earned an Academy Award nomination for best foreign language film. During the 1980s, he also appeared in films like 'Death Before Dishonor' and 'Foreign Nights,' and staged a one-man show in 1986 titled 'The Pessoptimist,' which depicted the internal conflicts of a man embodying both Israeli and Palestinian identities.
On television, Bakri played the fictional Afghan Vice President Abdu Qadir G’ulom in seven episodes of Showtime's 'Homeland' Season 8 in 2020, portraying a character with shifting alliances that challenged CIA agent Carrie Mathison. He was currently appearing as the King of Edom in Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video's 'House of David.' Other notable acting credits include HBO's 'The Night Of,' FX's 'Tyrant,' Peacock's 'Those About to Die,' the 2017 film 'American Assassin,' 2022's 'Boy From Heaven' (also known as 'The Cairo Conspiracy'), 2021's 'The Stranger,' 2017's 'Wajib,' and 2010's 'The Flowers of Kirkuk.'
As a director, Bakri was best known for the 2003 documentary 'Jenin, Jenin,' which chronicled the destruction during a 2002 Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin and captured stories of Palestinian refugees. The film faced controversy, accused of defaming Israeli soldiers, leading to a ban in Israel. Bakri fought a two-decade legal battle, but in 2022, Israel's Supreme Court upheld the ban and ordered him to pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages to an Israeli officer. He also directed the 2005 documentary 'Since You’ve Been Gone' about Arab author Emile Habibi.
One of Bakri's final projects was the 2025 film 'All That’s Left of You,' a drama about a Palestinian family where he played 'Older Sharif' alongside his actor sons Adam and Saleh Bakri. The film, Jordan's submission for the Best International Feature Film Oscar, has been shortlisted, with nominations to be announced on January 22, 2026.
Bakri is survived by his wife Leila and six children, including actor sons Adam, Ziad, and Saleh.
