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The BBC Israel-Palestine documentary The Settlers, hosted by Louis Theroux, aired on April 27, 2025, and it’s already fueling fierce debate.
Fourteen years after The Ultra Zionists, Theroux returns to the West Bank—this time, with a sharper, more confrontational tone.
Takeaway: A fringe movement has gone mainstream—and The Settlers shows how it happened.
What the Film Covers
Theroux embeds with hardline Israeli settlers, many of whom claim divine ownership of West Bank land.
The documentary captures scenes of settler violence, Palestinian displacement, and IDF protection of illegal outposts—framed not as isolated acts, but part of a system.
Key interviews:
- Daniella Weiss – settler leader boasting of access to Netanyahu’s aides and a plan to resettle Gaza with 800 families.
- Ari Abramowitz – American-born settler who refuses to use the word “Palestinian.”
- Issa Amro – Palestinian activist who shows Theroux Hebron’s daily checkpoints, raids, and apartheid conditions.
Takeaway: The film exposes daily realities under occupation—violence, surveillance, and displacement.
Goals and Style
The BBC Israel-Palestine documentary doesn’t seek to “both sides” the issue.
Theroux’s goal is clear: examine how a once-fringe ideology of religious nationalism now shapes Israeli policy—and document the human cost.
He combines his usual disarming style with moments of blunt confrontation. In one key scene, Theroux calls Weiss a “sociopath” after being shoved. In another, he hides in a Palestinian home as IDF soldiers search the area.
Takeaway: This is Theroux at his most direct—less passive observer, more accountability journalist.
Impact and Consequences
The BBC Israel-Palestine documentary arrives amid ongoing violence in Gaza and a surge in West Bank settler activity.
UN reports show a tripling of settler attacks since 2023. Viewers and policymakers alike are being forced to reckon with what the film reveals.
Potential outcomes:
- Public pressure on the UK and EU to condemn settler violence.
- Diplomatic tension, especially if the BBC is seen as criticizing Israeli government policy.
- Media influence, as Theroux’s style could set the tone for future conflict reporting.
Takeaway: The Settlers might not change policy—but it’s already shifting perception.
Final Word
The Settlers is a gritty, controversial BBC Israel-Palestine documentary that’s already being dissected by politicians, activists, and journalists around the world. It doesn’t offer easy answers or perfect balance—but it doesn’t pretend to.
