Award-winning Palestinian film director Basel Adra, known for his Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land," reported a raid on his West Bank home by Israeli soldiers. The incident followed a violent attack by Israeli settlers on his village, which left two of his brothers and a cousin injured. Adra, who was at the hospital with his injured relatives, received word that nine Israeli soldiers had stormed his home while his wife and nine-month-old daughter were present.
The soldiers questioned Adra's wife, Suha, about his whereabouts and searched her phone. One of Adra's uncles was also briefly detained. The director stated that he was unable to return home due to soldiers blocking access to the village, fearing potential detention himself.
The Israeli military claimed their presence in the village stemmed from rock-throwing incidents by Palestinians that resulted in injuries to two Israeli civilians. They confirmed ongoing searches and questioning of residents. Adra's film, "No Other Land," which chronicles the struggles of residents in Masafer Yatta against forced displacement by the Israeli military, has garnered international acclaim but also drawn criticism in Israel and elsewhere.
This incident highlights the escalating tensions in the region. Adra, who has consistently documented settler violence in Masafer Yatta, believes the attacks have intensified since his film's Oscar win. Co-director Yuval Abraham expressed deep concern for Adra's safety, emphasizing the recurring pattern of settler attacks followed by military actions against Palestinians.
Masafer Yatta, located in the southern West Bank, has been designated a live-fire training zone by the Israeli military since the 1980s, resulting in ongoing threats of displacement for its approximately 1,000 residents, primarily Arab Bedouin. The area's history of home demolitions, destruction of property, and the constant fear of expulsion underscore the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the ongoing struggle for land and self-determination.
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Originally published at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/13/oscar-winning-palestinian-says-home-in-west-bank-raided-by-israeli-soldiers
