Palestinian Filmmaker Attacked by Israeli Settlers in West Bank
Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was reportedly assaulted by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank before being detained by Israeli forces, according to eyewitnesses and colleagues. Ballal’s co-director, Basel Adra, stated that he rushed to Ballal’s home in Susya after receiving a distress call. Upon arrival, Adra witnessed Ballal and another individual being taken away by Israeli authorities, while a group of settlers gathered outside, some throwing stones. He added that Israeli soldiers stationed at the scene fired at those attempting to approach. The Israeli military claimed its forces responded to a “violent confrontation” between Palestinians and Israelis hurling rocks. It stated that the clashes began after “terrorists” attacked Israeli civilians, damaging their vehicles. According to the military, three Palestinians and one Israeli were subsequently detained for questioning. Yuval Abraham, an Israeli co-director of No Other Land, confirmed that Ballal suffered injuries to his head and abdomen but noted that he had not been able to establish contact with him since the incident.
Activists Also Attacked
Several American activists affiliated with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence (CJNV) also reported being assaulted by settlers that night. According to their accounts, over a dozen settlers armed with batons, knives, and at least one firearm stormed the village following a dispute with a settler who had been shepherding near a Palestinian residence. One activist, identified as Jenna, recounted that around 20 masked settlers attacked their group when they attempted to enter Susya. She described how they were forced to retreat to their vehicle, which was then vandalized. Video footage from their car’s dash camera showed a masked individual hurling a rock at the windshield, while additional photos depicted shattered glass inside the vehicle. Josh Kimelman, another activist present at the scene, claimed that Israeli soldiers stood by without intervening. Despite informing them of the attack, he said, the soldiers reassured them but failed to take action against the settlers.
Background and Rising Tensions
Earlier this month, Ballal, Adra, and Abraham shared the stage at the Academy Awards, where their documentary won Best Documentary Feature. No Other Land sheds light on the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes in the occupied West Bank, particularly in Masafer Yatta, where Adra’s family resides.Ballal, a Palestinian farmer, has faced repeated threats and intimidation from settlers in the past. In an earlier interview, he described how settlers encroached on his land while he slept, placing their livestock on his farm in an effort to claim it. He also documented threats from a settler who insisted that God had granted him ownership of the land.Violence by Israeli settlers has escalated across Palestinian villages, with herding outposts expanding significantly since the conflict in Gaza escalated. According to reports by Peace Now and Kerem Navot, Israeli advocacy groups monitoring settlement activity, such outposts have increased by nearly 50% since the outbreak of war.As tensions persist, Ballal’s case adds to growing concerns over settler aggression and the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank.
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