The controversy surrounding the Oscar-winning film No Other Land, which is accused of incitement against the State of Israel and IDF soldiers, continues. In response to a request from the CEO of the B’Tselem organization, Shai Glick, the legal advisor of the Ministry of Culture, Attorney Danny Horin, stated today (Friday) that the film cannot be screened in any cinematheque in Israel without authorization from the Films Review Council.
In a letter sent by Horin, he wrote: “If a request is made to show the film commercially (and not as part of festivals), it is presumed that the film distributors will seek approval from the Films Review Council. If such a request is submitted, it will be reviewed by the council, which operates according to its mandate as outlined by the Supreme Court’s rulings, taking into account all relevant considerations, including aspects of freedom of expression and creativity.”
Additionally, Attorney Horin clarified that the Ministry of Culture is not authorized to prevent films from being screened in cultural institutions, nor does it examine artistic content in the institutions it supports.
Simultaneously, a strong reaction against the film was also recorded in the U.S. A screening event for the film at a local Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Utah was canceled following requests from local residents to the B’Tselem organization.
Due to Protests: Screening of the Film Canceled
In the cancellation announcement, it was stated: “The (radical) group J Street requested to screen the film at the location, and they agreed. After local residents approached the management and expressed that the film offends them, the management decided that in order to preserve the feelings of all visitors, this film would never be screened in the facility.”
The film No Other Land is a documentary created by Israelis and Palestinians and has won an Oscar. The film has sparked controversy due to its contentious content and accusations that it incites against the State of Israel and IDF soldiers. It presents the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian viewpoint, using imagery and messages that have drawn severe criticism from Israeli and Jewish entities.
