Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal , co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land was detained by Israeli forces on Monday after an attack by settlers in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred in the village of Susya where witnesses say around 15 masked settlers threw stones, damaged property and assaulted residents before the army intervened.
Five Jewish-American activists who were present said the settlers surrounded Ballal’s home , smashed his car windows and destroyed a water tank nearby. “They attacked his house, and when soldiers arrived, they didn’t stop them. Instead, they took Ballal,” one activist reported. Another witness added that soldiers and settlers , some in mimilitary uniforms worked together in the attack.
Hamdan Ballal who sustained injuries to his head, called for medical help. However, before he could receive treatment, Israeli forces reportedly entered the ambulance and detained him. Co-director Yuval Abraham shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Ballal had been injured in the attack and taken away, with no further information on his whereabouts. Basel Adra, another co-director of No Other Land, suggested the attack might be linked to the film’s recent Oscar win. He stated that settler attacks in the region have intensified. “Palestinians in Susya face violence almost daily. Maybe this is retaliation for the film,” he said. (Source: BBC)
The Israeli army confirmed that three Palestinians and one Israeli were detained following an alleged stone-throwing incident but did not name Ballal. Meanwhile activists continue to demand his immediate release.
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