Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was beaten by Israeli settlers and then arrested by the Israeli army. The incident happened in Susya, in the Masafer Yatta area of the West Bank.
Jewish American activists on the scene reported that 15 masked settlers stormed Ballal’s house. Additionally, he vandalized his car, threw stones, and destroyed a water tank. Soldiers arrived but instead of intervening, they chased Ballal into his house and handed him over to the military. Reports say he was beaten before being taken away.
Ballal was arrested along with another Palestinian, Nasser, and taken to a police station without explanation. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed in a statement that they intervened after “terrorists” threw rocks at Israeli citizens. But witnesses say the settlers and soldiers were involved in the attack.
Yuval Abraham, another No Other Land director, called it a “lynching” on social media. Co-director Basel Adra thinks the settler violence is escalating because of the documentary’s international recognition including the Oscar-winning. The film No Other Land shows the destruction of Palestinian villages and has put the whole situation in the West Bank in the world’s spotlight.
This is not the first time No Other Land team members have been attacked. In February Adra was also attacked by settlers. He says the situation in Masafer Yatta is getting worse, with masked settlers roaming freely while the Palestinians are under siege.
Despite international support, Israeli officials including the culture minister have condemned the documentary’s Oscar win. The attack on Hamdan Ballal raises questions about the safety of Palestinian filmmakers and activists documenting life in the occupied territories.
