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Irish Independent
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Louis Theroux: The Settlers review – Documentary paints a grim picture of life in the West Bank
Back in the 1990s, he specialised in knowing winks to camera, deploying a mixture of charm and carefully calibrated haplessness to gain the confidence of his subjects. Usually, these weren't particularly serious people – but even if they were, he tended to undermine them by accentuating their absurdity. White supremacists, for example, or Christian nationalists, weren't seen as much more than fodder for mockery back then. So much for those innocent, flippant times: Theroux is older and wiser and, in any case, has been hunting for bigger game for some years now. He first visited Israeli settlers in the Palestinian West Bank back in 2011. Even then, it wasn't a situation that invited levity in any way. His return in BBC Two's Louis Theroux: The Settlers uncovers an even bleaker modern reality. A decade and a half ago, the people he met felt like outliers. His original documentary was called Ultra Zionists, a title that told its own story. Now, this once-fringe group are represented at the very heart of the Israeli government: Israel's current minister of national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is seen on a stage during this film, whipping up the crowd. In the aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, this is their time. 'Welcome to Judea,' says settler Ari Abramowitz when Theroux arrives at his home. Abramowitz's abode is illegal under international law – he's armed to the teeth, and these settlements (essentially residential incursions into Palestinian territory) are guarded by the Israeli army in defiance of the law. What emerges is an ideology of closed loops. 'Where is the nearest Palestinian town?' asks Theroux. 'I'm so uncomfortable using that word,' Abramowitz replies, objecting to the descriptor 'Palestinian'. 'I don't think they exist as a real nation, with a real claim to this land.' He sees himself as 'the tip of the spear... defending the entire Western world'. The land, he believes, belongs to Israel. His proof is the Bible – a document that, as Theroux points out, is essentially regarded as a land deed by the settlers. Abramowitz, incidentally, hails originally from Texas. Everywhere Theroux goes, he bumps up against the same brick wall. 'The land is ours. Palestine doesn't exist. It's not a matter for debate' This rigidity eventually causes a narrative problem for the documentary. Everywhere Theroux goes, he bumps up against the same brick wall. 'The land is ours. Palestine doesn't exist. It's not a matter for debate.' Accordingly, the film isn't really packed with an escalating series of revelations, just an escalating sense of futility, as the same arguments are repeated almost ritualistically. The rigidity is the point. Still, even unconsciously, plenty of issues are clarified. Daniella Weiss, the 79-year-old known as the 'godmother' of the settler movement, is clear about where she stands in relation to the Israeli government. 'Netanyahu... is very happy about what we do here. But he cannot say it.' Essentially, she's confirming the existence of a state agenda that runs contrary to the Geneva Conventions. But sadly, the world doesn't currently seem interested in intervening. Theroux's implicit message here is essentially moderate and compromising. He posits a two-state solution and asks the settlers he meets whether it concerns them that the level of threat they evidently feel might be shared by the people they regard as mortal enemies. Again, he hits a revealing blankness – the lack of concern for Palestinian civilians is as absolute as the scorn for international law. Often, this manifests as a sort of deadly, weaponised pettiness. A group of Palestinians harvesting olives are menaced by a group of heavily armed IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers. Theroux meets Issa, a Palestinian man who gives him a guided tour of Hebron. Everything is closed. It's an impossible maze of checkpoints. IDF soldiers are everywhere, checking papers, obstructing movement, proscribing free will. There's clearly a tactic of making life impossible in a practical sense, in the hope that Palestinians will leave out of sheer despair. And many have. Towards the end of the film, Theroux stops at a West Bank checkpoint and a soldier asks him how long he intends to stay in Israel. It feels like a Freudian slip: does this representative of Israeli state power already consider the acquisition, occupation and incorporation of this land a done deal? He's now added seriousness – and even, at times, a degree of physical bravery And the realisation occurs that eliciting these tiny moments of accidental honesty is still Theroux's biggest strength as an interviewer. People don't feel threatened by him. They're inclined to open up. At the beginning of his career, he often deployed this skill in the service of frivolity. He's now added seriousness – and even, at times, a degree of physical bravery. He's been criticised in some quarters for platforming this particular strain of extremism, but no one is getting off the hook here – and, in fact, challenging people who seem beyond the pale is hardly unfamiliar territory for Theroux. Arguably, given that the situation he's examining feels like an endlessly repeating horror show, it becomes all the more important that documentary makers find a way in. For all the familiarity of his techniques – and even if his subjects seem tragically stuck – Louis Theroux continues to evolve. Rating: Four stars © UK Independent
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Louis Theroux: The Settlers a superb view of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians
There is something missing in Louis Theroux: The Settlers (BBC Two and BBC iPlayer). Louis is there, driving around the Palestinian territory of the West Bank with his permanently puzzled face. The Israeli settlers are there, still staking a claim to new bits of hilltop on the West Bank in contravention of international and Israeli law. That's why Louis is puzzled. The Palestinians feature too, a man living next to an Israeli settlement facing constant harassment by Israeli security personnel and another man who takes Louis around the ancient city of Hebron. In the standout part of the show, this second man is moved along from the area outside the tourist office purely because he is Palestinian. This is the Israeli defence forces at work, asking to see Louis' passport about 20 times during the show, just because they can. The point of this one hour documentary is clear. Palestinians are treated as second-class human beings by the Israeli state and are barely seen as human at all by the settlers who baldly tell Louis that they should be deported out of their sight. Louis is there, driving around the Palestinian territory of the West Bank with his permanently puzzled face. This is most of the show as Louis does what Louis does, hanging around in kitchens and cars with extremists, getting them to open up on their views. The settlers are happy to talk – they see themselves as fulfilling God's wishes, returning to their ancient homeland in an attempt to make it exclusively Jewish. I don't know God myself, but I'm not sure this is what he had in mind. The Palestinians are more weary than angry, worn thin by harassment and humiliation. Other people might struggle to understand the psychosocial impact of native people been driven off their land by religious fanatics, but the Irish got a few handy lessons in that from Cromwell and co. You get a sense of shame from the Palestinians interviewed here, along with despair because it can only lead to more violence. It's a superb ground level view of one aspect of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. It could have done with a little bit of context, a few minutes to explain how the West Bank came into being and why the settlers are now getting strong support from Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The other thing that's missing is the voice of Arab extremism. The settlers are open about the ethnic cleansing they have planned for the area. But hundreds of Israeli civilians were murdered by Hamas on October 7 2023 – that didn't come from nowhere. It would have been a more complete picture if Louis talked to people who want to wipe Israel off the map. But it's still a superb piece of film-making.
The Journal
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Louis Theroux explains why he made his new film about Israeli settlements in the West Bank
DOCUMENTARIAN AND JOURNALIST Louis Theroux has explained why he returned to the occupied West Bank in Palestine for his new film 'The Settlers'. The documentary aired for the first time on BBC last night. It is the second time that Theroux has met with Israeli settlers in the region, as he said in the subsequent explanatory video 'Why I Made Louis Theroux: The Settlers ' . Portions of the film highlight the treatment of Palestinians, as well as settlers' plans to occupy areas of the West Bank and Gaza. The West Bank, named for its location by the River Jordan, is the largest section of Palestine and is home to more than three million people. It is territorially isolated from the much smaller Gaza Strip. Dealing with divisive nature of the subject In February, the BBC was criticised for airing and subsequently pulling a documentary about the ongoing conflict in Gaza after it emerged that the child who narrated the film was the young son of a Hamas deputy minister. The British broadcaster then apologised for 'serious flaws' in the making of Gaza: How The Survive A Warzone . Many activists criticised the BBC for removing the film, however, and claimed that the documentary still showed the real impacts and effects of life in the territory amid the war between Hamas and Israel. Theroux, in his video explaining the film, recognised that the subject of his new documentary gets 'heavily scrutinised' and that there are cohorts of people, on both sides of the 'divisive' argument, that 'feel very strongly' about the topic. 'Going into this [film], that was on my mind. If I'm honest, it was on my mind but I didn't find it, like, incapacitating,' the filmmaker said. 'And I have to emphasise that the frame is: 'What is happening in the West Bank under a military occupation?' 'You could say, 'Well, that's an arbitrary framing.' I don't think so. That's the frame and what is taking place is – I would think by any reasonable person's assessment – deeply troubling. 'So that's what I hold onto [in this film]. It's not a polemic. It's an attempt to document what is happening. And I, maybe naively, think that most people would see it and see it for what is was,' he added. 'Fly on the wall and challenger' Settlements, which are the establishment of Israeli towns in regions the West Bank, are considered illegal under international law but have grown significantly in the last number of decades. More than 200 settlements have been constructed in the occupied West Bank since 1967, covering more than 10% of its territory. More than 100 of these have legal status under Israeli law. Theroux, in his explanatory video, said: 'There is always this balance between attempting to be a fly on the wall, not intervening, seeing how things are going to unfold, letting people feel they can express themselves unselfconsciously, but at the same time challenging them enough to bring out the contradictions or the parts of it that don't make sense. 'I'm also allowing the viewer to feel safe so that it's not a case of uncritically platforming highly divisive or questionable beliefs,' he added. According to Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of people from an occupying power – in this case Israel – into occupied territory, settlements are considered illegal. Advertisement The takeover of land by settlers deprives Palestinians of property rights and freedom of movement and impacts their ability to live and sustain their livelihoods by denying them access to water needed for things like livestock, irrigation and domestic consumption. Speaking about why he decided to revisit the topic, Theroux said: 'I've heard that since 7 October, with the world's attention on Gaza, these religious nationalist settlers have felt emboldened to go further, to push harder, to harass their Palestinian neighbours and to attempt to drive them out. 'So, I decided to go back and find out who was doing it, to meet the people who were the ideological standard-bearers of the settlers and also to see, first-hand, what the consequences were of what they were doing.' Violence by settlers and the Israeli military in the West Bank has ramped up since the war in Gaza began . During a ceasefire period between Israel and Hamas earlier this year, the UN reported that up to 40,000 people were displaced in the region . Some pro-settler members of the Israeli government have also voiced support for the annexation of the West Bank in recent months. The official boundaries of settlements are off limits to Palestinians because they are declared by Israel as 'closed military areas', even though they are home to more than 600,000 people. A clip from the film, shown during Theroux's six-minute long explanation, depicts a Palestinian interviewee being turned away while speaking to the journalist after they were stopped by members of the Israeli security forces in the region. A Palestinian interviewee being turned away from a street inside an Israeli settlement in the West Bank during an interview with Theroux. BBC BBC Asked why their interviewee was not allowed to join them, the security force member said that Palestinians are not allowed to pass a particular point further up the street they are standing on. Another man then interrupted the conversation and said they will explain nothing further in front of cameras. A chance to 'experience the extremes' In the film, which Theroux says was a chance for him to 'experience the extremes of religious zealotry, nationalism and a militarised support infrastructure', the journalist spoke to a well-known leader of the Israeli settler movement Daniella Weiss. The woman, who Theroux refers to as a 'godmother of the settler movement', told the broadcaster that she has been involved in the establishment of 'almost every' settlement in the West Bank. Theroux speaking to Daniella Weiss, a leader in the Israeli settler movement. BBC BBC The video includes a clip of an exchange between Theroux and Weiss, in which he challenges her involvement in the establishment of Israeli settlements as 'war crimes'. Weiss responded by telling Theroux he then is 'cooperating' by interviewing her and laughs at the accusation levelled against her. She then described her actions as a 'minor felony'. With reporting by David MacRedmond and Stephen McDermott Need more clarity and context on what is happening in the Middle East? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Times
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Louis Theroux: The Settlers review — going toe to toe with extreme ideology
It has been 14 years since Louis Theroux made a documentary about Jewish settlers, and now he is back with another. His 2011 film The Ultra Zionists was praised by some and criticised by others. 'No piece of coverage will please everyone,' he wrote about his new film, Louis Theroux: The Settlers (BBC2). 'I trust my instincts. I accept mine is just one contribution in the vast offering of coverage.' If the settlers we met here were wary of Theroux returning with his signature faux naivety, it didn't show. He was welcomed into their homes in the West Bank, some still only half-built, and given access to people who didn't hesitate to say exactly what they believed. 'I believe that Gaza is ours and we
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louis Theroux opens up on new BBC West Bank documentary on Israeli settlers
LOUIS Theroux has opened up on his new tell-all documentary, where he argues why the world has 'amply demonstrated' its ability to withstand the Israeli atrocities against Palestinians. The BBC series, Louis Theroux: The Settlers, is due to air this week as the celebrated documentarian returns to the West Bank for the first time in 15 years. Writing for Deadline News ahead of the release of the series, Theroux said he spent three weeks travelling across the West Bank documenting 'the world of the Israeli ultra-nationalists" who have settled in the territory, illegally under international law. He wrote that when he first visited the region in 2010, he was 'struck by the way in which a group of people were able to pursue an openly expansionist ethnonationalist vision while enjoying the benefits of a separate and privileged legal regime to those around them', while also being protected by the Israeli army. READ MORE: Scottish university axes 350 members of staff as further cuts loom Theroux said the idea for the documentary came after reading articles in the New Yorker and the New York Times suggesting that with the world's attention on Gaza, the settler community had cranked up its activities in the region. Shot in two blocks, Theroux interviewed settlers and their leaders, including the woman known as the 'Godmother' of the 'settler movement', Daniella Weiss. He also visited settlements, including one called Evyatar, which had been authorised by the Israeli government just a few months earlier and is illegal under international law. Theroux wrote: 'I try to hear from those at the heart of a story who, broadly speaking, are viewed as being 'in the wrong'. 'Naturally, giving airtime to these people can lead to accusations of 'platforming'. I understand the charge. My decision to film means potentially millions will be exposed to the views of people who may be racist or fundamentalist or bigoted. (Image: Raneen Sawafta, REUTERS) He added: 'But making a documentary isn't just a matter of handing someone a megaphone and saying 'have at it'. 'It's a process of asking the right questions, challenging, contextualizing. Doing journalism.' Theroux said The settlers lifts the lid on the beliefs of those who live on occupied land, showing that they are openly anti-democratic and supremacist. He highlighted the risks associated with drawing attention to forms of exclusionary nationalism when they are perpetrated by people with their own long history of enduring persecution. However, Theroux said: 'It should go without saying that extremists and ideologues exist in all communities.' He added: 'No one should get a pass.' The documentarian argues that it would be a mistake to allow religious nationalist settlers and their far-right political supporters in government to co-opt Jewish identity and to 'write off legitimate criticism of their beliefs' and their actions as an expression of bigotry. (Image: AFP via Getty Images) He also conceded that, regardless of how he framed the documentary, he accepts that some may see The Settlers will be seen as anti-Israel. Theroux concluded that one of the reasons why he wanted to return to the West Bank is that he believes that other countries around the world are looking at occupied territories for 'clues as to what their own future might look like'. He added: 'Some global populist leaders view the ideology of the settler community as a prototype for a type of nationalism they would like to practise. 'They regard Israeli settlers as the tip of the spear of what they frame as a global war against Islam.' The Settlers will air on BBC Two on Sunday at 9pm.
