Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor celebrate winning Best Documentary for No Other Land at the Oscars. Getty Images
A Palestinian filmmaker, who recently won an Oscar, was detained in the occupied West Bank after violence erupted between Israeli settlers and Palestinians, according to activists. Hamdan Ballal, one of the co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was reportedly taken by Israeli soldiers during the incident.
The clash took place in Susya village on Monday evening. Five Jewish American activists said around a dozen masked settlers attacked the village around 6:00 PM local time. The attackers reportedly smashed windows, punched people, and beat them with sticks. Ballal’s home was surrounded by the settlers during the chaos.
According to Yuval Abraham, palestinian Oscar Winner Ballal's co-director, he was injured during the violence. Abraham claimed that Ballal was taken by soldiers while he was inside an ambulance, but the Israeli military denied this.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the incident but did not name Ballal. They said that three Palestinians and one Israeli were arrested on suspicion of throwing rocks at security forces. The IDF stated, "In response, the forces apprehended three Palestinians suspected of hurling rocks at them, as well as an Israeli civilian involved in the violent confrontation."
The army said the detainees were handed over to the police for further questioning. During the clash, one Israeli citizen was reportedly injured and taken for medical treatment.
The five American activists, who were present to document the violence, said they also came under attack. They claimed that settlers smashed their car windows and assaulted them with sticks. When they called for help, Israeli soldiers eventually intervened, forcing the settlers to back off.
No Other Land, the documentary co-directed by palestinian Oscar Winner Ballal and Abraham, recently won the Best Documentary award at the 97th Academy Awards. The film highlights the struggles of the Masafer Yatta community, which consists of around 20 Palestinian villages in the West Bank. It also depicts the friendship between Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. While international law considers Israeli settlements there illegal, Israel disputes this claim. Over the past 55 years, settlements have expanded, fueling violence and deepening tensions over land ownership.
Ballal's detention has drawn international attention, especially after the film’s recent Oscar win, which brought global awareness to the struggles of Palestinians in the region.
