Israel Bars Media From West Bank Villages On Tour Organized By Oscar Winners

Israeli soldiers prevented journalists from entering West Bank villages on a scheduled tour arranged by the filmmakers of the Oscar-winning movie “No Other Land.” The film spotlights Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied territory. The directors had invited journalists to speak with residents about escalating settler violence in the area. The military blocked the journalists from entering two Palestinian villages during the tour, citing a military order. The filmmakers expressed concern that Israel did not want the world to witness the situation in the villages. Despite the obstacles, the journalists managed to access one village in the Masafer Yatta area but were denied entry to others. The film, which has received numerous awards, documents the residents’ struggle against the Israeli military’s demolition of their villages. Israel’s control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem remains a contentious issue, with Palestinians seeking these areas for their future state and viewing settlement expansion as a major hindrance to a two-state solution.