Basel Adra, the Palestinian co-director and central figure of the Oscar-winning No Other Land, is an activist. He states that early in the film: “I’m an activist,” he says. "I’ve been an activist nearly my entire life.”
That’s a key distinction, even if he doesn’t lay it out. What he’s really saying is this: He’s an activist, not a revolutionary.
The difference is important. A revolutionary wants to upend the powers that be. An activist doesn’t – they want to change policy. And an oft-necessary part of activism is compromise – changing minds and building bridges to expand one’s coalition.
No Other Land, is, inherently, an act of compromise. It’s an Israeli-Palestinian co-production, with Adra co-directing along with Palestinian Hamdan Ballal (who was recently beaten and detained, sparking global outcry) and Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
Much of the film is made up of Adra's personal footage, using his camera as a shield to document the potential atrocities of Israeli settlers and military as he and his relatives try to protect their small Palestinian village of Masafer Yatta from destruction.
But the Israeli involvement in this Palestinian story is not incidental or merely behind the scenes. Throughout the film, Abraham is a key on-screen figure, first as a journalist for the liberal Israeli +972 Magazine, there to write about the town, but quickly entrenches himself further.
Abraham and Adra become fast friends, with Abraham using his privilege as an Israeli to protect the Palestinians from harm, and to stop their homes from being destroyed by the seemingly never-ending fleet of bulldozers.
The constant scenes of Adra and Abraham stick out, each having a decidedly different tone and feel to the footage shot with their lives on the line. And in them, it becomes clear who this film is for: liberally minded people around the world who haven’t engaged with the Palestinian struggle, probably with sympathy for Israel. For those viewers, Abraham is their point-of-view character, someone they can trust to tell them right from wrong.
At times, the dynamic between the two feels like mismatched partners in a buddy action film. In one scene, Abraham complains that his most recent article didn’t get enough views. Adra calls him enthusiastic – an admirable trait that lacks the patience needed for this kind of activism. “This has been going on for decades,” Adra says. In other moments, Abraham acts as Adra's biggest supporter when he’s losing hope. Sometimes, the two just banter over shisha to ease the pain.
Ultimately, whether by design or not, Abraham's inclusion keeps the aim of the film small. No Other Land is not trying to change everything – it’s picking one specific wrong: to protect the people of villages in the Palestinian countryside and preserve their way of life.
As Abraham himself puts it, the preservation of Palestinian dignity is the only way to keep Israelis safe.
This is the same perspective once proffered by the Israeli general Moshe Dayan in his autobiography Story of My Life – so close that it seems that Abraham is quoting him.
Dayan is partly responsible for the current paradigm, and was against a Palestinian state, but he was for the preservation of Palestinian dignity purely in Israel’s interest – knowing that unrest is inevitable if quality of life is not ensured.
But in the current climate, even a liberal Israeli position is unacceptable to those who oppose it. Around the world, the film has been widely denounced. Some political figures have tried to censor it, and it has been shunned by studios.
Why so much opposition? Because it’s powerful. Its stance is so iron-clad that nary a person with a heart could watch it and not see the obvious wrong, regardless of where their allegiances lie. See No Other Land, and something chronically called “complicated” becomes simple.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
And once that door is open, it’s nearly impossible to close. I, once, had that door opened for me by a similar film. As a teenager growing up in the US, I borrowed Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now from the video store where I worked. It was a film with an Israeli producer, which I initially heard about because of its Oscar nomination. That film led me towards a path of self-education – and changed my life.
For those who already support the Palestinian cause, I cannot call this film a must-see. But if they’re looking for a film to show the people in their lives who still remain sceptical, there’s few better picks than this. It’s an entry point – flawed but potent.
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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Rating: 5/5
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
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Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
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The specs
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Transmission: nine-speed
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Torque: 700Nm
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
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- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
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- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
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• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
