We saw this moving film at Coolidge Corner, before the Oscar award. Each show was sold out. The show we attended received a standing ovation at its close. It does not pretend to be a classic documentary. It is a powerful presentation of the experience of living as a Palestinian and as an Israeli journalist in these times.
Lincoln is lucky to have the opportunity to share this viewing, and each to come to their own conclusions. These are important opportunities to see, hear, discuss different viewpoints on this important topic. > On May 3, 2025, at 8:19 AM, Jonathan Sheffi <[email protected]> wrote: > > While No Other Land is emotionally impactful, it presents a highly selective > and distorted narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film centers > on the story of Palestinian activist Basel Adra and frames Israeli actions in > the South Hebron Hills as part of a one-sided campaign of dispossession. > However, this portrayal omits critical context, such as the fact that the > territory in question—Area C of the West Bank—is under Israeli administrative > control per the Oslo Accords, which the Palestinian leadership voluntarily > signed. Israeli enforcement actions in this area often stem from unauthorized > construction and security concerns, not arbitrary “ethnic cleansing,” as the > film suggests. > > The film also fails to acknowledge the long history of Arab rejectionism and > violence that led to Israel’s ongoing security posture. For example, between > 2000 and 2005 alone, over 1,000 Israeli civilians were killed in terror > attacks during the Second Intifada—many in cafes, buses, and schools. In > 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, removing all settlements. The > result was not peace, but the rise of Hamas, thousands of rockets fired at > Israeli civilians, and the militarization of the Strip. This > history—painfully absent from No Other Land—is essential to understanding > Israeli skepticism toward concessions in the West Bank. > > Moreover, the film ignores internal Palestinian political dysfunction. Groups > like B'Tselem and Adalah, frequently cited in such documentaries, rarely > mention that the Palestinian Authority pays salaries to terrorists imprisoned > in Israel—payments that rise with the severity of the attack. According to > the PA’s 2023 budget, roughly 7% of its foreign aid is allocated to such > stipends. These policies incentivize violence and undermine prospects for > peace. Genuine progress requires dismantling the Palestinian political > culture that glorifies martyrdom and denies Jewish indigeneity. > > Documentaries like No Other Land succeed at evoking sympathy but do so by > omitting key historical facts, legal frameworks, and mutual responsibilities. > We should seek a conversation grounded in complexity, not propaganda. I hope > those engaging with the film will also read more balanced sources, such as > Einat Wilf’s The War of Return, or any of Benny Morris’ historical writings, > to understand the fuller picture. > > Thank you, > Jonathan > > On Sat, May 3, 2025, 07:29 Stephen R. Low <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> >> The GRALTA Foundation >> screens >> >> The 2025 Oscar-Winner for Best Documentary >> No Other Land >> >> >> >> Bemis Hall, 15 Bedford Road, Lincoln, MA >> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/15+Bedford+Road,+Lincoln,+MA?entry=gmail&source=g>: >> >> >> Saturday, May 3 at 10 AM and 2 PM >> Monday, May 5 at 7 PM >> >> ★★★★★ >> "Powerful Israel-Palestine documentary is essential viewing" >> >> (Click here >> <https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/sep/30/no-other-land-review-palestinian-israeli-documentary> >> to read the complete review in The Guardian) >> >> >> >> Runtime: 96 Minutes >> >> Trailer: https://youtu.be/jOOgJICcxu0 >> >> >> >> Winner of 61 Awards, including >> Berlin International Film Festival, Panorama Audience & Berlinale >> Documentary Awards) >> >> Boston Society of Film Critics & Online Film Critics Association, >> Best Documentary >> >> Chicago Film Critics Association, Best Documentary >> >> European Film Academy Documentary Award, Prix Arte >> Gotham Independent Film Award, Best Documentary Feature >> >> New York Film Critics Circle Award, Best Non-Fiction Film >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >
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