A joint Israeli-Palestinian team that produced a film chronicling the eviction of Palestinians from their homes in the occupied West Bank delivered a passionate speech calling out injustices faced by Palestinians on Sunday night after winning the Oscar for best documentary. “No Other Land” tells the story of the continued demolition by Israeli authorities of Masafer Yatta, a collection of villages in the Hebron mountains of the West Bank where Basel Adra, one of the directors, lives with his family. The documentary follows the Israeli government’s attempt to forcibly evict the villagers, having claimed the land for a military training facility and firing range in 1981. Viewers witness the destruction of the local playground, the killing of Adra’s brother by Israeli soldiers, and other attacks by Jewish settlers as the community struggles to survive. The film also portrays the human connection between Adra and the film’s other creator, Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham.
While filming for “No Other Land” concluded before Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, prompting Israel to launch its war in Gaza, the documentary’s themes are particularly relevant during a time of heightened conflict in the Middle East. Palestinians in the West Bank have faced evictions and the encroachment of Jewish settlers for decades. Hours before the film’s Oscar win, residents of the West Bank area depicted in the documentary were attacked by Israeli settlers accompanied by Israeli forces, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Wafa reported, citing the head of the Susiya village council Jihad Nawajaa, that Israeli soldiers detained three people in the area and settlers attacked residents of the village of Khirbet Asfi, in Masafer Yatta, throwing stones, destroying solar panels, and damaging water tanks. Images obtained by CNN showed several solar panels and a home security camera that appeared to have been damaged by stones. CNN has contacted Israel’s military for comment.
‘Harsh Reality’ Israel has ramped up its military campaign in the West Bank, displacing roughly 40,000 Palestinians since late January, according to the United Nations, with Israel’s defense minister promising to occupy large areas for the remainder of the year. The Israeli military says it is targeting Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank who have mounted attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians. But Palestinians and human rights groups say the expanded assault is increasingly indiscriminate – killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure in a manner consistent with collective punishment. “No Other Land” tells the story of the continued demolition by Israeli authorities of Masafer Yatta, a collection of villages in the Hebron mountains of the West Bank.
The filmmakers used their acceptance speeches to highlight the effects of Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Adra said the film “reflects the harsh reality that we have been suffering for decades, a reality that continues until today, and we call on the world to take concrete steps to end this injustice.”
