Tuwaneh: Palestinians living in the Masafer Yatta area of the West Bank are celebrating the recent Oscar win of the documentary No Other Land. The film, which captures the harsh realities faced by the village communities, follows the struggle of residents who risk expulsion by the Israeli military.

The documentary, directed by Palestinian Basel Adra and Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham, has drawn attention to the ongoing displacement of villagers in the southern West Bank, where Israeli forces frequently demolish homes and structures. The Oscar win is seen by many in the region as an opportunity to raise awareness of their situation, offering hope that international recognition will bring change.

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Life in shadow of expulsion

In the village of Al-Tuwaneh, part of the Masafer Yatta area, residents face daily threats of eviction. Recently, Israeli troops destroyed a family's shed in the area, continuing a pattern of demolition that has left many living in constant fear of displacement.

Salem Adra, whose brother Basel co-directed the documentary, expressed his joy at the film’s Oscar win. “It was such a huge surprise, such joy,” he said. He hopes the recognition will shed light on the struggle of the villagers, saying, “It’s a win for all of Palestine.”

The film highlights the ongoing legal battles of the Palestinian Bedouin communities who have lived in the area for generations. Israel's military designated Masafer Yatta as a live-fire training zone in the 1980s and has since sought to expel the population, citing their lack of permanent structures. However, the residents argue that they have lived and herded livestock in the area long before Israel’s 1967 occupation of the West Bank.

Despite a legal victory for the Israeli government, with the Israeli Supreme Court upholding the expulsion order in 2022, the residents have largely remained in place. Israeli forces continue to destroy homes, water tanks, and olive orchards in an attempt to force the villagers to leave.

Israeli backlash to the film

While the film has earned acclaim internationally, it has faced strong criticism within Israel. The filmmakers, particularly Abraham, have been accused of distorting reality and using the film to promote an anti-Israel agenda. After the documentary’s success at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2024, Abraham’s acceptance speech, which called for an end to the Gaza war without mentioning Hamas’ attacks, provoked outrage.

Israeli officials, including Minister of Culture Miki Zohar, have denounced the film, with Zohar calling the Oscar win a "sad moment for the world of cinema."

In his Oscar acceptance speech, Basel Adra made a passionate call for justice, urging the world to stop the "ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people." He expressed hope that his newborn daughter would not have to endure the same challenges of settler violence and forced displacement that he faces daily.

The film’s Oscar win is a poignant moment for both the filmmakers and the people of Masafer Yatta. While the documentary has already caused waves internationally, its full impact within Israel remains uncertain. However, experts believe that the film’s success will make it impossible to ignore the dire situation facing Palestinian villagers in the West Bank.

Agency