Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, has been detained following a violent attack by Israeli settlers in the village of Susya, activists say.
Ballal’s house was reportedly surrounded by settlers, and he was later beaten and taken by Israeli soldiers while in an ambulance, according to his co-director Yuval Abraham. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), however, stated that three Palestinians and an Israeli were detained for allegedly throwing rocks at security forces.
The incident comes amid rising settler violence in the West Bank, which has intensified since the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.
The detention of Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian Oscar-winning filmmaker, in the occupied West Bank has drawn international attention following an outbreak of violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians.
Ballal, one of four co-directors of No Other Land, was reportedly beaten and detained by Israeli forces after an attack on his village, Susya, by masked settlers. The incident occurred as a group of Jewish American activists attempted to document the violence, but they too were attacked.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that three Palestinians and one Israeli were arrested for allegedly throwing rocks at security forces. The situation remains tense, with allegations of increased settler violence in the West Bank since the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.
No Other Land, which won Best Documentary at the 97th Academy Awards, highlights the struggles of the Masafer Yatta community and the impact of Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.
