The Oscar-nominated filmmakers behind the documentary "No Other Land" have voiced their profound shock and disappointment regarding Donald Trump's controversial Gaza plan. The President has advocated for the United States to seize control of Gaza, suggesting an effective ethnic cleansing that would leave Palestinians with no choice but to abandon their homeland. He has smugly proclaimed this vision as a "real estate development for the future," likening Gaza to a potential "Riviera of the Middle East."
Trump's remarks immediately ignited a wave of global indignation, prompting over 350 rabbis and entertainment industry figures to sign a letter denouncing the plan. Now, in an interview with Deadline, the directors of a film delving into violence and displacement in the West Bank have spoken out passionately.
Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham and Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra have condemned Trump's words as amounting to an endorsement of ethnic cleansing in Gaza. "It is irresponsible and immoral," they declared in unison. Adra further described the comments as "shocking" and "a stupid thing to say," adding, "It's insane and crazy. He speaks from a position of power, believing his words and actions carry no repercussions. He thinks he can do and say whatever he pleases."
Abraham emphasized, "Transferring the Israeli population into occupied territories in the West Bank is illegal. And evicting Palestinians from these territories, as is happening in Masafer Yatta, and as Trump aims to accelerate in Gaza, is equally illegal."
The plan has also been firmly rejected by Jordan's King Abdullah II.
Addressing reporters this week, Trump boasted, "We'll build numerous wonderful things there, including hotels, office buildings, housing, and more, transforming it into what it should be."
"No Other Land" premiered at the Berlin Film Festival last year, where it garnered the Berlinale documentary award. Spanning from 2019 to 2023, this film, crafted by an Israeli-Palestinian collective, shines a spotlight on the relentless forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes in Masafer Yatta, a region in the occupied West Bank targeted by Israeli forces.
Despite its critical acclaim, the film struggled to find distribution in the United States but still managed to secure an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. The Guardian's Adrian Horton hailed it as "straightforward, unsensationalized, and utterly infuriating" in a five-star review.
Abraham commented to Deadline about the film's lack of formal distribution, saying, "I believe it's obvious that it's due to political reasons. I hope this will change. Seeing the immense demand for the film in the United States, we decided not to wait for a theatrical release. Instead, we are independently releasing it in nearly 100 theaters, and we're witnessing sold-out screenings everywhere."
Since the Hamas attack on October 7th, Israeli forces have killed at least 48,200 Palestinians and forcibly displaced 2 million survivors, painting a grim picture of human suffering and displacement.
