Palestinian Theatre Artist Faces Visa Delays, Impacting U.S. and Canadian Performances
Alaa Shehada, a Palestinian theatre artist, has faced significant delays in obtaining a temporary resident visa to Canada, affecting his ability to perform his acclaimed one-man show, 'The Horse of Jenin'. Originally scheduled to perform in Vancouver in March 2026, the show was canceled due to visa issues. Despite being reprogrammed for the 2026-27 season, Shehada's visa application remains unprocessed with only two months until the new opening date. The delays have also impacted his scheduled performances in the U.S., where he was detained and sent back to Amsterdam despite holding a valid visa. U.S. Customs and Border Protection cited a lack of forthcoming information during his entry interview as the reason for his denial.