No Other Land (15)
Directed by Basal Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor

 
FIVE years in the making by a Palestinian-Israeli collective, this powerful documentary chronicles the destruction of the West Bank’s Masafer Yatta by the Israeli authorities putting the viewer centre stage as witness to terror, violence and injustice as Palestinian villagers are kicked out of their homes. 
 
It also charts the growing friendship and unlikely alliance between Basel Adra, a young Palestinian activist from this area, and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham in their bid to highlight and put an end to the devastation unfolding in Masafer Yatta. Basel filmed Israeli soldiers deployed by the Israeli government demolishing village houses and driving out their residents who were then forced to move into local caves with their families. It was done slowly and methodically to make them leave because once they do so they lose all rights to their land. It is heartbreaking footage. 
 
Basal and Yuval co-wrote, co-directed and co-edited the film with Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor as they bore witness to the Israeli army’s shameless actions. 
 
Filmed from 2019 to 2023 they capture Basal’s cousin being shot by soldiers, Basal being beaten up by them too and a young local man being shot by the military which left him paralysed from the shoulders down. He had to live in a dirty cave because the army would not allow his family to build him a house. Yet no-one seems to have been held to account for shooting him and leaving him a paraplegic. 
 
Basal is seen hounded by the military for staging major protests on a weekly basis against the Israelis actions in Masafer Yatta. He also films them bulldozing the local primary school as pupils watch in horror and cementing in the village well, the residents’ main water source.  
 
They could have pulled down all the houses in one day and expelled everyone in one go but didn’t. The documentary shows how it is a show of power and brinkmanship and to wear down the Palestinians. 
 
It also examines the stark inequalities between Palestinians and Israelis as Basal isn’t allowed to leave the West Bank while Yuval can come and go freely. 
 
It is an astounding documentary, both harrowing and moving, and difficult to watch at times. But Basal and Yuval’s unlikely friendship sparks hope for the future.  

In cinemas November 8