Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra, who won an Oscar this year for co-directing the documentary *No Other Land*, has raised concerns at the United Nations about escalating violence in the West Bank despite the film’s global recognition.
Speaking at a screening organized by the UN Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Adra emphasized that the forced displacement and attacks documented in his film continue to worsen.
"I wanted the world to know that we live in this land, that we exist, and to see what we face daily—this brutal occupation," Adra told the UN.
The documentary, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, captures the struggles of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, an area declared a restricted military zone by Israel in the 1980s. It depicts house demolitions, school destructions, and violent attacks by Israeli settlers. In 2022, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled in favor of the military’s expulsion of residents from eight villages in the region.
“Even after winning the Oscar, we went back to the same reality,” Adra said. “The situation is only changing from worse to worse.”
He also highlighted a surge in settler attacks across the West Bank, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Last week, Adra’s co-director, Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, reported being assaulted by Israeli settlers after their Oscar win. He was later detained by Israeli police, who accused him of throwing rocks. Ballal has denied the allegations, stating he suffered a beating while in custody.
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is home to three million Palestinians and nearly half a million Israeli settlers living in communities that are illegal under international law.
Despite winning an Oscar, *No Other Land* has faced difficulties securing widespread distribution in the United States, with screenings limited to a few select cinemas.
Speaking at a screening organized by the UN Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Adra emphasized that the forced displacement and attacks documented in his film continue to worsen.
"I wanted the world to know that we live in this land, that we exist, and to see what we face daily—this brutal occupation," Adra told the UN.
The documentary, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, captures the struggles of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, an area declared a restricted military zone by Israel in the 1980s. It depicts house demolitions, school destructions, and violent attacks by Israeli settlers. In 2022, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled in favor of the military’s expulsion of residents from eight villages in the region.
“Even after winning the Oscar, we went back to the same reality,” Adra said. “The situation is only changing from worse to worse.”
He also highlighted a surge in settler attacks across the West Bank, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Last week, Adra’s co-director, Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, reported being assaulted by Israeli settlers after their Oscar win. He was later detained by Israeli police, who accused him of throwing rocks. Ballal has denied the allegations, stating he suffered a beating while in custody.
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is home to three million Palestinians and nearly half a million Israeli settlers living in communities that are illegal under international law.
Despite winning an Oscar, *No Other Land* has faced difficulties securing widespread distribution in the United States, with screenings limited to a few select cinemas.
