JunkDror

Seven decades of imperialist occupation and five recent years of videographic evidence merits Oscar Academy recognition but no socio-political change. 

Protagonist and filmmaker Basel Adra, along with co-directors Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, and Hamdan Ballal, have come together to share with the world a fatal reality all too devastating and deplorably ongoing to dismiss: the Palestinian fight for peace and liberation. A timely film barely scratching the surface of a deep-rooted oppression, it is generously insightful about life in the West Bank (one of two Palestinian territories that make up the State of Palestine), or lack thereof. 

Throughout the documentary we are shown sequences of Israeli military forces storming the Palestinian village of Masafer Yatta in the name of the “law,” which permits them to destroy the homes, schools, playgrounds, and every other structure that lays on this land to evict its inhabitants and make space for an Israeli military training base. The villagers of Masafer Yatta have been disputing the official 1980 government sanction to establish “Firing Zone 918” in Israeli court (a judicial system presumably not in their favor), while simultaneously attempting to protect their homes, preserve the vitality of their community, and prioritize their safety. In May of 2022, the court’s ruling threw out all residents’ petitions, explaining that those Palestinians were not living in the area before it was designated as a firing zone. A suspicious conclusion considering Palestinians have historically been living in Masafer Yatta, on land and in underground caves, at least, since the end of the 19th century—long before Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967, and far before Israel even came into existence.

Basel, born and raised in Masafer Yatta (where he still resides today) is part of yet another generation of Palestinians being forcibly removed from their native land, a story his activist parents and ancestors before them know far too well. What is especially disheartening is that in ordinary circumstances, he is like most of us–holds a degree, wonders about finding love, and even recreationally enjoys a few puffs from a hookah pipe ever so often. Ergo, there is no swifter disillusionment to our privileged perceptions than that of his violent, exhausting reality. As we watch him dodge stun grenades, bullets, bulldozers, rocks, and handcuffs, we come to the realization that Basel lives the same day over and over–all 28 years of his life blending into a singular memory of terror. Part of this daily routine is the cumbersome duty to discern whether to continue the long-standing objection or walk away from an ailing battle. How he retains the strength to stay and for how much longer might be a question left up to divine providence, because his commitment and hopefulness is nothing less than virtuous.

Even more unnerving is the active participation of Israeli lay people in the hostile evicting orders. Often accompanied by Israeli military officials, hooded Israeli settlers (civilians) are captured taking annexing initiatives into their own hands by entering Masafer Yatta to intimidate its residents and initiate physical altercations. Since Israelis are free to move between countries, with yellow license plates being a social and legal identifier of their nationality, coups of settlers with a great deal of nationalism passionately walk onto Palestinian soil prepared to chant slurs, initiate physical altercations, throw rocks into homes, and in horrific cases, fire gunshots. Adopting the oppressive and tyrannical methods of the government, our sense of who has law enforcing authority becomes distorted in an “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” nonsensical disposition.

Yuval Abraham (a co-director of No Other Land) is an Israeli journalist against the occupation of Palestine, and even less a fan of Israeli vigilantes. Alongside Basel (an improbable duo), he records press content about the atrocities he witnesses in Masafer Yatta and condemns Israeli settlers who weaponize their “lawful” immunity as yellow license plate holders. However, as one of the few Israeli citizens standing with Masafer Yatta, he is naturally found a bit suspicious by one of the villagers, who holds no problem questioning Yuval’s allyship and denouncing it, even if it is genuine. In an honest discussion, the villager explains he may never find peace with Yuval’s presence knowing there likely are people in his life who carry out the orders to displace Palestinians. While his feelings of frustration and resentment are inarguably justifiable, we are left wondering about the moral validity of the villager’s sentiments… How much responsibility does one hold for the actions of their neighbors, especially when collectivism is a cultural implication? Individualistically, why do personal efforts almost feel like they amount to nothing, while holistically consuming your entire human experience? 

In good faith, Basel and Yuval trust in advocacy to make noise, an impressive feat that led them to receive prestigious prizes at the Berlin Film Festival and a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars. However, despite its acclaim, the message lacks momentum as major U.S. distributors refuse to premiere it in theaters. Though, this is no surprise considering the United States (along with an additional 49 countries) does not recognize the State of Palestine as a country under the United Nations. So if you’re lucky enough to snag a ticket at an independent cinema before they sell out or know a publicist well-connected enough to send you a protected link to the film, you will be part of the inconclusive, select few Americans who actually get to view the award-winning documentary. At this rate, we’ll witness first hand the potency of socio-political neglect as fewer institutions acknowledge the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the number of its displaced people grows. Still, what remains most certain is the weight of human agency; though our protests do not always scale globally, a single voice of reason is enough to smooth over injustice for one more irresolute day.