Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme spoke out against Israel's ground offensive in Gaza during a HuffPost Live interview on Monday.
Demme talked with with host Ricky Camilleri about his new film "A Master Builder," which is based on a classic play by Henrik Ibsen. During the conversation, Demme shared his take on the conflict in Palestine:
I think about what we all think about -- more than anything, first and foremost, all these innocent children being killed. It makes me think, 'Please withdraw the settlements, please tear down the wall, please, let's work for peace.' Every new iteration of the violence that comes up feels like you're starting all over again, and I just can't imagine how unbearable it must be to be a Palestinian living in Gaza being invaded like this and seeing the children of your community lying dead in the sand.
Other celebrities who have spoken on the issue have stirred up controversy. Both Rihanna and NBA player Dwight Howard deleted "#FreePalestine" tweets after they received backlash for their words. Demme said he doesn't worry that his sentiments will provoke a similar response.
"I know that I'm not anti-Semitic," he said. "In the same way I would condemn American use of power, I condemn any country doing that. I'm a pacifist. I believe passionately that Palestine deserves statehood and that there is a two-state solution."
See the full HuffPost Live conversation with Jonathan Demme below.