Arab celebrities react over killings in France

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  Egyptian actor Khaled Abol Naga, often described as the Brad Pitt of Egypt and recently sued by the Egyptian government for treason because he criticised the new Al Sisi government at the Cairo International Film Festival, wrote on Twitter, “We must all try to be Charlie, not just today but every day”. Ravindranath K / The National

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  Lebanese songstress Elissa has been active on Twitter, showing her support for France and expressing her horror at what happened, as well as retweeting images and news from others who share her point of view. She said on January 7, “I extend my prayers and deepest sympathies to the People of France following the horrendous #charliehebdo attack”. On Instagram that day, she shared an image of the Voltaire quote, “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,” and with it, she wrote, “We all have the rights.” Immediately after, she reposted a picture that said, “If your religion is worth killing for, please start with yourself”. The-Cool-Box / FLASH Entertainment

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  Palestinian-American comedian Dean Obeidallah, who with Maz Jobrani was part of the Axis of Evil world comedy tour, has been very vocal about the Charlie Hebdo attacks, appearing on CNN and other news outlets discussing the importance of satire, the value of freedom of expression tempered with responsibility and the danger of extremism in any form. When the attacks first occurred, he tweeted: “My prayers go out to people killed at the Paris magazine office. This is an attack upon all who value freedom of expression”. Since then he has said plenty, including, “Who defines Islam: Ahmed Merabet, French Muslim police officer who was killed defending freedom of expression or the 2 gunmen? I say Ahmed” and “Insults were directed to the Prophet during his life, appropriate response is through thought, art+opinion, not murder”. Dave Sanders for The National

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  The Iranian-born American comedian and actor Maz Jobrani says the attack has focused society’s need for satire. “Our job is to make fun of things, is to show hypocrisy,” he says. “For them to attack these cartoonists, it was an attack on any satirist anywhere.” Jobrani’s upcoming memoir, I’m Not a Terrorist, But I Play One on TV, jokes about such issues in his standup routines. “I try to make fun of how we’re always the ones who, right away, when something like this happens, fingers are pointed at us.” Andre Forget / The National

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  Celebrated and award-winning Jordanian cartoonist Emad Hajjaj has already published two cartoons condemning “the terrorist attacks against Charlie Hebdo”, one on the London-based Al Araby Al Jadeed’s website and its Qatari daily, and one as an independent image on his Twitter feed. On Twitter, he also wrote, “Pen is stronger than bullets,” which he accompanied with the hashtags #JeSuisCharlie and #IamCharlie. Salah Malkawi / The National

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  Egyptian actor Khaled El Nabawy, on Twitter, asked his followers to join him in denouncing the attacks. He tweeted, “All my friends, if you please, say with me #against_killing_in_the_name_of_Islam”. Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images

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  The Emirati filmmaker Khalid Al Mahmood simply tweeted, on January 7, “#JeSuisCharlie”. Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images For Dubai International Film Festival

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  Kuwaiti Dr Naif Al-Mutawa, TED speaker, founder of Teshekeel Media Group and creator of The 99, the first group of comic superheroes born of an Islamic archetype, tweeted on January 8: “Talk about failure. The extremists who murdered at #CharlieHebdo have introduced the magazine to billions more people. #JeSuisCharlie”. Lee Hoagland / The National

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  Basketball star Kareem Abdul Jabbar, a six-time NBA champion who is also an author, filmmaker, education ambassador and one-time guest editor of The National, focused his US Time magazine column on the attacks. “Another horrendous act of terrorism has taken place and people like myself who are on media speed-dial under “Celebrity Muslims” are thrust in the spotlight to angrily condemn, disavow, and explain—again—how these barbaric acts are in no way related to Islam,” he writes. “I look forward to the day when an act of terrorism by self-proclaimed Muslims will be universally dismissed as nothing more than a criminal attack of a thuggish political organization wearing an ill-fitting Muslim mask.” Silvia Razgova / The National

Arab and Muslim celebities in the UAE, region and beyond have been vocal in reacting to and condemning the deaths that resulted from the attack on the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Here are some of the reactions that caught our attention.