JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Israeli settlers violently attacked Hamdan Ballal, one of the Palestinian co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary film “No Other Land,” in the occupied West Bank on Monday. Ballal, along with two other Palestinians, was detained by the Israeli military in the village of Susiya. Attorney Leah Tsemmel confirmed the detentions, stating that they were being held at a military base for medical treatment, and she had not been able to communicate with them.
Basel Adra, another co-director of the documentary, witnessed the attack and reported that around two dozen settlers, some wearing masks and carrying weapons, agitated the village. The settlers threw stones while soldiers pointed guns at the Palestinians. Adra expressed a sense of distress, noting that attacks have been continuous since the film’s Oscar recognition. The Israeli military claimed that three Palestinians were detained for allegedly throwing rocks at forces, along with an Israeli civilian involved in a “violent confrontation,” a claim disputed by witnesses interviewed by the AP.
“No Other Land,” which won the Oscar for Best Documentary, showcases the residents of the Masafer Yatta area fighting against the Israeli military’s demolition of their villages. Ballal and Adra, along with Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, joined forces to create this joint Palestinian-Israeli production. The film has received international acclaim and awards, causing controversy in Israel and beyond.
Adra recounted that settlers entered the village just after residents broke their fast for Ramadan, and a familiar aggressor to the village approached Ballal’s home with the military. Soldiers fired shots, and Ballal’s wife heard him being beaten outside, screaming for help. Adra witnessed soldiers taking Ballal, handcuffed and blindfolded, into a military vehicle, with traces of blood left at the scene. Additional witnesses corroborated parts of Adra’s account, but anonymity was requested due to fear of reprisal.
The ongoing tensions in the region have led to an increase in violent confrontations and attacks. The West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, remains a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Settler violence, military operations, and Palestinian attacks continue to contribute to the instability in the area.
As the situation escalates, the international community closely monitors the developments in the West Bank and urges for diplomatic resolutions to prevent further violence and human rights violations. The struggles faced by residents in Masafer Yatta underscore the complexities of the conflict and the urgent need for peaceful coexistence in the region.