Palestinian Director Who Won Oscar Attacked at Home by Settlers... Taken Away by Israeli Military

Joint Oscar Winner for Documentary "No Other Land"
Highlights Violence by Israeli Settlers

Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal, who made the documentary "No Other Land," this year's Academy Award (Oscar) winner, was collectively attacked by Israeli settlers at his home in the West Bank of the Jordan River and then taken away by the Israeli military. On the 24th (local time), foreign media including CNN and AFP quoted a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Yubal Abraham, the producer of "No Other Land," stating that a group of Israeli settlers attacked Ballal and that Israeli soldiers later arrested him. Abraham wrote, "They assaulted him, and he was injured, bleeding from his head and abdomen," adding, "The soldiers stormed the ambulance he called, and after taking him away, there has been no news about him."

Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal, who made the documentary "No Other Land," this year's Academy Award (Oscar) winner, was collectively attacked by Israeli settlers at his home in the West Bank of the Jordan River and was taken away by the Israeli military. Photo by AP and Yonhap News.

Basel Adra, co-director who worked with Ballal on "No Other Land," also told CNN that upon receiving Ballal's contact and arriving at his home in the village of Susya in the West Bank, he witnessed a man being dragged away. Adra said that outside Ballal's house at the time, a group of Israeli settlers were present, some throwing stones. Israeli police and military were also nearby, and the soldiers were firing shots to prevent people from approaching, Adra said. In response to AFP's inquiry about the incident, the Israeli military said they were verifying the information.

On the 2nd (local time), Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal (left in the photo) attended the Academy Awards held in LA, USA. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

On the same day at the scene where Ballal was arrested, five American activists belonging to the NGO "Jewish Nonviolence Center," which opposes Israeli settlement in the West Bank, were also attacked by Israeli settlers, CNN reported. The organization claimed that dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the village wielding clubs and knives, and that someone fired a rifle. Josh Kimmelman, an activist from the group, told CNN that Israeli soldiers were present at the scene but did nothing to stop the attackers.