A Palestinian director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land has been arrested by the Israeli army after a masked settler attack on his house in Susya, Masafer Yatta.
Five Jewish American activists witnessed the attack, which saw around 15 armed settlers surround and pelt Hamdan Ballal with stones near his home. The soldiers then arrived and handed him over to the military, where he was injured.
The attackers destroyed a water tank and broke multiple windows and windshields at Ballal’s car. Another man, Nasser, was also arrested along with Ballal.
Activist group members filmed the attack and later entered the house, finding blood on the floor. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) stated that there was a violent confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis after “terrorists” threw rocks at Israeli citizens. Three Palestinians were detained for hurling rocks at security forces, while an Israeli civilian involved in the violence was also taken into custody.
Basel Adra, another director of No Other Land, believes the escalating settler violence may be a response to the documentary’s international recognition. “The settlers’ violence is increasing here,” he said. “Maybe it’s a revenge for the movie and the Oscar.” The Israeli culture minister has previously called the Oscar win for the joint Palestinian-Israeli documentary a “sad moment for the world of cinema”.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/24/oscar-winning-palestinian-director-attacked-by-israeli-settlers-and-arrested