A Palestinian documentary director was brutally attacked by masked Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Susiya. Hamdan Ballal, one of four directors of Oscar-winning film “No Other Land,” was beaten and handed over to soldiers. The incident sparked anger worldwide, with many condemning the violence.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of Israeli settlers, including soldiers, entered the village during Ramadan and attacked Ballal’s home, throwing stones and beating him. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with officers from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initially refusing to intervene.
The IDF later claimed that “terrorists” had thrown rocks at Israeli citizens, triggering a violent confrontation. However, eyewitnesses disputed this account, saying that settlers had attacked Palestinians first and then turned on the military.
Ballal was released from custody along with two other Palestinians on Tuesday after spending the night in jail due to serious injuries sustained during the attack. The incident is not the first of its kind, as Susiya has seen at least 43 attacks by violent settlers since the beginning of the year.
“No Other Land” chronicles the struggle of Palestinian residents in the Masafer Yatta area to stop Israeli demolitions. The film has won international awards but has been met with ire in Israel and abroad. Ballal, a director from Masafar Yatta, said he and his team risked their lives to make the documentary.
The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians remains unresolved, with Palestinians seeking control of all territories they occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military rule over the West Bank has been criticized for its lack of accountability, leading to violence and intimidation against Palestinian residents.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/25/hamdan-ballal-witnesses-describe-israeli-settler-attack-no-other-land-director