Latest news with #YuvalAbraham
NBC News
04-06-2025
- General
- NBC News
Israeli soldiers bar media from visiting West Bank villages on tour organized by Oscar winners
JERUSALEM — Israeli soldiers on Monday barred journalists from entering villages in the West Bank on a planned tour organized by the directors of the Oscar-winning movie 'No Other Land.' The directors of the film, which focuses on Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territory, said they had invited the journalists on the tour Monday to interview residents about increasing settler violence in the area. In video posted on X by the film's co-director, Yuval Abraham, an Israeli soldier tells a group of international journalists that there is 'no passage' in the area because of a military order. Basel Adra, a Palestinian co-director of the film who lives in the area, said the military then blocked the journalists from entering two Palestinian villages they had hoped to visit. Israel's military said in a statement that entry into Khallet A-Daba was banned because it was in a live-fire training zone. Tuwani is not in the firing zone, but the military said it had barred 'individuals who might disrupt order from entering the area,' in order to 'maintain public order and prevent friction.' 'They don't want journalists to visit the villages to meet the residents,' said Adra, who had invited the journalists to his home. 'It's clear they don't want the world to see what is happening here.' Some of the surrounding area, including a collection of small Bedouin villages known as Masafer Yatta, was declared by the military to be a live-fire training zone in the 1980s. Some 1,000 Palestinians have remained there despite being ordered out, and journalists, human rights activists and diplomats have visited the villages in the past. Palestinian residents in the area have reported increasing settler violence since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and kickstarted the war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers regularly move in to demolish homes, tents, water tanks and olive orchards — and Palestinians fear outright expulsion could come at any time. Adra said the journalists were eventually able to enter one of the villages in Masafer Yatta but were barred from entering Tuwani, the village where he lives, and Khallet A-Daba, where he had hoped to take them. Adra said settlers arrived in Khallet A-Daba on Monday and took over some of the caves where village residents live, destroying residents' belongings and grazing hundreds of sheep on village lands. The military demolished much of the village last month. It said in a statement to AP that the structures in the village were built illegally and demolished after the residents had the chance to present their cases against demolition. 'No Other Land,' which won the Oscar this year for best documentary, chronicles the struggle by residents to stop the Israeli military from demolishing their villages. The joint Palestinian-Israeli production was directed by Adra and Hamdan Ballal, another Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, along with Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The film has won a string of international awards. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians want all three for their future state and view settlement growth as a major obstacle to a two-state solution. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, home to over 500,000 settlers who have Israeli citizenship. The 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under seemingly open-ended Israeli military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centers.
Globe and Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Israeli soldiers bar journalists from entering West Bank villages on tour organized by Oscar winners
Israeli soldiers on Monday barred journalists from entering villages in the West Bank on a planned tour organized by the directors of the Oscar-winning movie No Other Land. The directors of the film, which focuses on Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territory, said they had invited the journalists on the tour Monday to interview residents about increasing settler violence in the area. In video posted on X by the film's co-director, Yuval Abraham, an Israeli soldier tells a group of international journalists there is 'no passage' in the area because of a military order. Basel Adra, a Palestinian co-director of the film who lives in the area, said the military then blocked the journalists from entering two Palestinian villages they had hoped to visit. Israel's military said in a statement that entry into Khallet A-Daba, was banned because it was in a live-fire training zone. Tuwani, is not in the firing zone, but the military said it had barred 'individuals who might disrupt order from entering the area,' in order to 'maintain public order and prevent friction.' Marsha Lederman: Powerful documentary No Other Land provides important context to Trump's musings on Gaza 'They don't want journalists to visit the villages to meet the residents,' said Adra, who had invited the journalists to his home. 'It's clear they don't want the world to see what is happening here.' Some of the surrounding area, including a collection of small Bedouin villages known as Masafer Yatta, was declared by the military to be a live-fire training zone in the 1980s. About 1,000 Palestinians have remained there despite being ordered out, and journalists, human-rights activists and diplomats have visited the villages in the past. Palestinian residents in the area have reported increasing settler violence since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and kickstarted the war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers regularly move in to demolish homes, tents, water tanks and olive orchards – and Palestinians fear outright expulsion could come at any time. Adra said the journalists were eventually able to enter one of the villages in Masafer Yatta, but were barred from entering Tuwani, the village where he lives, and Khallet A-Daba, where he had hoped to take them. Israel releases Oscar-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal after he was beaten by West Bank settlers Adra said settlers arrived in Khallet A-Daba Monday and took over some of the caves where village residents live, destroying residents' belongings and grazing hundreds of sheep on village lands. The military demolished much of the village last month. It said in a statement to AP that the structures in the village were built illegally and demolished after the residents had the chance to present their cases against demolition. No Other Land, which won the Oscar this year for best documentary, chronicles the struggle by residents to stop the Israeli military from demolishing their villages. The joint Palestinian-Israeli production was directed by Adra, Hamdan Ballal, another Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, along with Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The film has won a string of international awards. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians want all three for their future state and view settlement growth as a major obstacle to a two-state solution. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, home to over 500,000 settlers who have Israeli citizenship. The three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under seemingly open-ended Israeli military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centres.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘No Other Land' Press Tour of West Bank Village Featured in Oscar-Winning Doc Halted by Israeli Army
Israeli soldiers on Monday blocked an international media tour organized by 'No Other Land' directors Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham in the occupied West Bank, preventing journalists from entering the village featured in their Oscar-winning doc. The doc depicts the Israeli government's efforts to force Palestinians to leave their homes in Masafer Yatta in the southern West Bank. The directors had invited a dozen local and international journalists to visit and witness reportedly worsening violence by Israeli settlers and demolitions at Adra's home village of At-Tuwani. But the journalists and a Palestinian Authority delegation were blocked by Israeli forces, who said they had a warrant to set up a checkpoint. More from Variety Movie Theater Owners Want to Vote for Oscars and Push to Join the Academy: 'We Watch Everything... It's a No Brainer' (EXCLUSIVE) How Hollywood Finds Its Stars: Behind the Scenes With Casting Directors, the Most Important and Least Understood Job in Movies From the Oscars Red Carpet to Open Heart Surgery: What Variety's Marc Malkin Wants You to Know About His Life-Saving Journey In a video posted by Abraham on social media, he is heard telling Israeli soldiers: 'You know that they are journalists. They're coming to see the destruction in Masafer Yatta, the way that you are destroying the community, the settler violence is dangerous.' An Israeli officer responds in the video that the ban on journalists crossing over into the West Bank is to maintain 'order' in the area. After the army destroyed a village and allowed settlers to invade it, they are now blocking our tour with dozens of international journalists saying they're not allowed to enter Masafer Yatta and visit @basel_adra home. — Yuval Abraham יובל אברהם (@yuval_abraham) June 2, 2025 In the '90s, Masafer Yatta was designated as a live-fire training zone where the Israeli military exercises full control. The West Bank is home to roughly 3 million Palestinians, but also some 500,000 Israelis living in settlements that are considered illegal under international law. In March, only a few weeks after 'No Other Land' won the best documentary Oscar, Hamdan Ballal, a co-director on the doc along with Adra, Abraham and Rachel Szor, was attacked and heavily beaten by Israeli settlers near his village and then arrested and held overnight in an army facility. 'These police officers and soldiers that are here now to prevent the international media, not only do they not come to prevent the settler violence, often they partake in it,' Abraham told French news agency AFP, which was on the premises having been invited on the media tour. Abraham added that he has been trying to cling on to hope that the Oscar success of 'No Other Land' would help raise global awareness and stop the violence in Masafer Yatta. 'Unfortunately, the world now knows, but there is no action,' he told the AFP. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
New Indian Express
03-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Israeli soldiers bar media from visiting West Bank villages on tour organized by Oscar winners
JERUSALEM: Israeli soldiers on Monday barred journalists from entering villages in the West Bank on a planned tour organized by the directors of the Oscar-winning movie 'No Other Land.' The directors of the film, which focuses on Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territory, said they had invited the journalists on the tour Monday to interview residents about increasing settler violence in the area. In video posted on X by the film's co-director, Yuval Abraham, an Israeli soldier tells a group of international journalists there is 'no passage' in the area because of a military order. Basel Adra, a Palestinian co-director of the film who lives in the area, said the military then blocked the journalists from entering two Palestinian villages they had hoped to visit. Israel's military said in a statement that entry into Khallet A-Daba, was banned because it was in a live-fire training zone. Tuwani, is not in the firing zone, but the military said it had barred 'individuals who might disrupt order from entering the area,' in order to 'maintain public order and prevent friction.' 'They don't want the world to see what is happening here' 'They don't want journalists to visit the villages to meet the residents,' said Adra, who had invited the journalists to his home. 'It's clear they don't want the world to see what is happening here.' Some of the surrounding area, including a collection of small Bedouin villages known as Masafer Yatta, was declared by the military to be a live-fire training zone in the 1980s. Some 1,000 Palestinians have remained there despite being ordered out, and journalists, human rights activists and diplomats have visited the villages in the past. Palestinian residents in the area have reported increasing settler violence since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and kickstarted the war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers regularly move in to demolish homes, tents, water tanks and olive orchards — and Palestinians fear outright expulsion could come at any time.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Israeli soldiers bar media from visiting West Bank villages on tour organized by Oscar winners
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli soldiers on Monday barred journalists from entering villages in the West Bank on a planned tour organized by the directors of the Oscar-winning movie 'No Other Land." The directors of the film, which focuses on Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territory, said they had invited the journalists on the tour Monday to interview residents about increasing settler violence in the area. In video posted on X by the film's co-director, Yuval Abraham, an Israeli soldier tells a group of international journalists there is "no passage' in the area because of a military order. Basel Adra, a Palestinian co-director of the film who lives in the area, said the military then blocked the journalists from entering two Palestinian villages they had hoped to visit. Israel's military said in a statement that entry into Khallet A-Daba, was banned because it was in a live-fire training zone. Tuwani, is not in the firing zone, but the military said it had barred 'individuals who might disrupt order from entering the area,' in order to 'maintain public order and prevent friction." 'They don't want the world to see what is happening here' 'They don't want journalists to visit the villages to meet the residents,' said Adra, who had invited the journalists to his home. 'It's clear they don't want the world to see what is happening here.' Some of the surrounding area, including a collection of small Bedouin villages known as Masafer Yatta, was declared by the military to be a live-fire training zone in the 1980s. Some 1,000 Palestinians have remained there despite being ordered out, and journalists, human rights activists and diplomats have visited the villages in the past. Palestinian residents in the area have reported increasing settler violence since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and kickstarted the war in the Gaza Strip. Israeli soldiers regularly move in to demolish homes, tents, water tanks and olive orchards — and Palestinians fear outright expulsion could come at any time. Adra said the journalists were eventually able to enter one of the villages in Masafer Yatta, but were barred from entering Tuwani, the village where he lives, and Khallet A-Daba, where he had hoped to take them. Adra said settlers arrived in Khallet A-Daba Monday and took over some of the caves where village residents live, destroying residents' belongings and grazing hundreds of sheep on village lands. The military demolished much of the village last month. It said in a statement to AP that the structures in the village were built illegally and demolished after the residents had the chance to present their cases against demolition. Film won several awards 'No Other Land,' which won the Oscar this year for best documentary, chronicles the struggle by residents to stop the Israeli military from demolishing their villages. The joint Palestinian-Israeli production was directed by Adra, Hamdan Ballal, another Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, along with Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The film has won a string of international awards. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians want all three for their future state and view settlement growth as a major obstacle to a two-state solution. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, home to over 500,000 settlers who have Israeli citizenship. The 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under seemingly open-ended Israeli military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centers. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at Julia Frankel, The Associated Press
