Amid Israel’s brutal war on Gaza showing no signs of easing, TRT World is set to premiere a groundbreaking investigative documentary, Holy Redemption, on August 24 at the historic Atlas Cinema in Istanbul.
The film sheds light on a dark and largely silent second front of the war – illegal Zionist settlers stealing Palestinian land under the garb of Israel’s carnage in Gaza, which has killed 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 7 last year.
In December last year, two months into the Gaza bloodshed, TRT World’s Investigative Unit gained access to an important yet overlooked front: the occupied West Bank. The creators of Holy Redemption met Israeli activists, members of Knesset and infiltrated the radical Israeli settler groups, including the notorious Hilltop Youth, who are stationed in various forward outposts, fully armed and driven by a violent vision of building Greater Israel.
Through a series of interviews and in-depth reportage, the film uncovers Israel’s colonial mindset and a well-coordinated agenda between state actors and armed Jewish gangs. These groups work in tandem – each contributing to a dark, sinister plan of usurping Palestinian lands and displacing their inhabitants.
American peace activist Medea Benjamin described the film as a “harsh slap in the face” of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
“It reveals the disturbing truth about the fanatical, racist, armed, looting Israeli youth gangs who invade villages, burn homes, beat farmers, destroy livelihoods, and create chaos to drive Palestinians from their land. And all this is happening today, not in 1948,“ Benjamin said.
In a land grab of unprecedented proportions, the film uncovers some disturbing patterns – from the settlers being aided by well-paved roads and checkpoints to a military-style infrastructure designed to consolidate control over the occupied territories.
At the premiere event, TRT World will host a panel discussion following the screening of the film. In it, renowned journalists, activists, and academics from around the globe will participate, including prominent names such as Professor Ilan Pappe, Canadian doctor and Holocaust survivor Gabor Mate's son, writer and activist Aaron Mate, Australian activist and historian Robert Martin, Israeli journalist Gideon Levy, Palestinian scholar Professor Dr. Sami al-Arian, American activist Medea Benjamin, Palestinian-Canadian nurse Ahmed Kouta, who was in Gaza during the recent conflicts, and Palestinian activist Issa Amro. These figures will discuss and share critical insights into Israel’s occupation efforts and the ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians.
TRT World journalists conducted the interviews under great risk in light of the aggressive mentality of the settlers who could go violent on a whim. The documentary captures the terror attacks, village-burning attempts, and indiscriminate assaults – a harsh, inhumane reality Israel has imposed on West Bank towns and villages.
The Istanbul film premiere, open to all press members, will take place at the iconic Atlas Cinema on August 24 at 3:00 PM.
➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
