Oscar-Winning Palestinian Filmmaker Arrested After Settler Attack in West Bank
Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary *No Other Land*, was violently assaulted by masked Israeli settlers before being arrested by military forces in the occupied West Bank village of Susya, according to eyewitness accounts and media reports.
The attack occurred in Masafer Yatta, a region south of Hebron where Ballal has been documenting the systematic destruction of Palestinian communities. Jewish American activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence reported that approximately 15 armed settlers stormed Ballal’s home, hurling stones and vandalizing property.
“They destroyed a water tank near Hamdan’s house before targeting him directly,” said Joseph, one of the activists present. Another witness, Raviv, described extensive damage: “The settlers smashed his car windows and slashed a tire. Then soldiers arrived—some dressed in military gear—chased him into his home, and handed him over to the military.”
Ballal sustained head injuries during the assault, with activists later finding blood stains in his home. Another Palestinian, identified only as Nasser, was also detained. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the arrests followed a “violent confrontation” initiated by Palestinians throwing rocks at Israelis, though witnesses dispute this narrative.
Retaliation for Oscar Success?
Basel Adra, Ballal’s co-director and a firsthand witness to the attack, suggested the violence may be retaliation for the film’s international acclaim. *No Other Land*, a collaboration between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, exposes Israel’s forced displacement and violence against Palestinians in Masafer Yatta.
“Settler violence has escalated here daily. This feels like revenge for the Oscar,” Adra said, describing the attack as “horrific.” He recounted how soldiers stood by as settlers assaulted Ballal: “They shot in the air to block anyone from helping him while he screamed for aid. Then the army took him away.”
Israeli co-director Yuval Abraham condemned the attack on social media, posting: “Settlers lynched Hamdan—he’s bleeding from head and stomach wounds. Soldiers seized him from an ambulance. No word on his condition since.”
Escalating Violence in Masafer Yatta
This incident follows a pattern of targeted violence against the film’s creators. In February, Adra survived a similar settler mob attack. Days before Ballal’s arrest, Adra documented another assault on X: “Masked settlers stoned my friend Nasser’s home and car while soldiers ordered us to stay indoors, letting attackers roam free.”
The West Bank has seen intensified settler violence, particularly in Masafer Yatta, where Palestinian families face relentless expulsion campaigns. Israel’s Culture Minister Miki Zohar recently denounced *No Other Land*’s Oscar win as “a disgrace to cinema,” underscoring official hostility toward the film’s exposé of state-backed oppression.
As international concern grows, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has remained silent on Ballal’s detention. The incident highlights the lethal consequences faced by Palestinians documenting occupation—even those with global platforms.
