Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker reportedly attacked by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and subsequently detained by the military
Jewish settlers with extremist views reportedly assaulted the Palestinian co-director of a documentary film that has previously received an Oscar.
The Center for Jewish Nonviolence, an activist organization, reported that settlers launched an attack on the Palestinian village of Susiya, located in the Masafer Yatta region, on Monday evening. Among those affected by this so-called “price tag” attack was Hamdan Ballal, according to the group.
According to activist reports, Ballal suffered a head injury resulting in significant bleeding. He, along with a second Palestinian individual, was taken into custody, and their current location remains undisclosed.
Basel Adra, serving as a co-director, observed the detainment and reported that approximately two dozen settlers, some of whom were masked, armed, and dressed in military attire, launched an assault on the village. Upon arrival, military personnel aimed their weapons at the Palestinian residents, as settlers persisted in hurling stones.
The film “No Other Land” has achieved significant international acclaim, beginning with its accolades at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2024.
This year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary was presented to a film that captures the ongoing efforts of Masafer Yatta residents as they combat Israeli military actions aimed at demolishing their communities.
Adra expressed concerns following their return from the Oscars, stating, “Since we came back, we have faced daily attacks. It feels as though this might be retribution for our involvement in the film, akin to a form of punishment.”
According to reports from Adra, settlers entered the village soon after residents had concluded their daily fast in observance of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
According to reports from Adra, a settler with a history of frequent attacks on the village approached Ballal’s residence accompanied by military personnel, during which soldiers discharged their weapons into the air.
According to a statement by Adra, Ballal’s wife reported hearing the sounds of her husband being assaulted outside, during which he cried out, “I’m dying.”
According to eyewitness Adra, military personnel escorted a handcuffed and blindfolded Ballal from his residence into an official military vehicle. Adra noted that traces of Ballal’s blood remained visible on the ground outside his house.
Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham reported on social media platform X that Hamdan Ballal, a co-director of their film “No Other Land,” was allegedly attacked by a group of settlers. According to Abraham, Ballal sustained injuries to his head and stomach and is bleeding. Abraham further claimed that soldiers intervened in the ambulance Ballal had called and subsequently took him away, with no updates on his whereabouts since the incident.
Josh Kimelman, an activist present at the incident, reported that a group of 10-20 masked settlers launched an assault on members of the Center for Jewish Nonviolence. The assailants reportedly armed with stones and sticks, attacked the activists, damaging vehicles by smashing car windows and slashing tires in an apparent attempt to force their departure from the area.
Footage supplied by an activist organization depicts a masked individual, identified as a settler, engaging in a physical altercation with two activists in a nocturnal, dusty landscape. The activists are seen hastily retreating to their vehicle, amidst the audible impact of rocks hitting the car.
The directors and crew members of “No Other Land” have previously faced attacks from settlers, marking a recurring pattern of aggression towards the film’s team.
In February, the town of Adra was the scene of a siege and assault carried out by masked individuals believed to be Israeli settlers.
