So far, Brussels has approved limited sanctions against extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. But it has resisted calls for more restrictive measures or suspending trade ties with Israel following the launch of its war on Gaza in 2023 after Hamas militants attacked Israel and took hostages to the coastal enclave.
Adra, whose documentary tells the story of Israeli demolitions of his native rural community of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank, argues the EU should “at the minimum recognize now the state of Palestine” but also sanction “all settlers [who] are violating international law.”
The filmmaker, whose co-director was assaulted by settlers after the documentary’s release, laments that “nothing has changed” in practical terms for the local community since it came out and that attacks by settlers have stepped up since Israel began its full-scale assault on Gaza.
The Commission spokesperson reiterated the institution’s “strong opposition to Israel’s settlement policy,” arguing that “additional [sanctions] are under discussion currently” with EU countries.
Despite that, Adra said he still retains hope, driven by the prospect of protecting his local community. “We are living in the worst period for Palestine,” he said, but “we don’t have another land.”
“It’s my responsibility to stay on the land,” he said.