Documenting Occupation: Basel Adra’s Powerful Testimony at the UN

Basel Adra, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, shares his lifelong commitment to documenting the brutal realities of life under occupation. Starting as a teenager, he captured firsthand the violence inflicted on his village Masafer Yatta by settlers and the Israeli military—from home demolitions by bulldozers to brutal assaults on community members. Despite international recognition for his work, Adra reveals that the cycle of violence, displacement, and injustice continues unabated, with daily attacks that leave Palestinian communities in constant fear. Speaking at the UN Palestinian Rights Committee on 3 April 2025, Adra recounted harrowing personal and communal experiences, including the attack on his cousin, which exemplifies the systemic oppression faced by Palestinians. He highlighted that these incidents are not isolated but part of a broader strategy to displace Palestinians and seize their land, underlining the complicity of state authorities in facil