The Oscar-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal found himself under Israeli detention pending his arrest during the violent confrontation that occurred between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Activists indicate that Ballal who serves as co-director of No Other Land documented his attack before Israeli soldiers took him prisoner.
Violence Erupts in Susya
The nighttime incident occurred at Susya Village on Monday after unidentified Israeli settlers started their attack. The Center for Jewish Nonviolence reported that during the violent events, Hamdan Ballal’s house received encirclement from the attackers.
Purveyors of the documentary visited to document the situation and encountered violent treatment from settlers who damaged their vehicles while breaking windows and assaulting them with sticks and punches. Yuval Abraham who works alongside Hamdan Ballal as an Israeli co-director confirmed the terrorist attack which resulted in injuries to people alongside damages to property according to his report.
Arrest and Conflicting Reports
Abraham told authorities Hamdan Ballal received beating treatment before soldiers took him during an ambulance transport even though authorities do not agree with this interpretation of events. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) notified the public through a statement that three Palestinians along with one Israeli citizen got arrested for assaulting security personnel with rocks. According to IDF information, their officials and police officers had to disperse the conflict during which an Israeli national received injuries. Hamdan Ballal and other arrested persons remain under interrogation following their detention.
Ongoing Tensions in the West Bank
The West Bank has been a source of ongoing violence ever since Israel took control there in 1967. Experts from international law deem all building activities within Israeli settlements in the region unlawful while Israel upholds its right to build there. Settlements in this area have grown during successive years thereby creating escalating conflicts between Jewish settlers and native Palestinian inhabitants. During the 2023 Israel-Hamas war the frequency of violent attacks carried out by Jewish settlers against Palestinian residents escalated while confrontations rose.
About No Other Land
The 97th Academy Awards recognized No Other Land by Ballal and Abraham as the best documentary film of the year. Masafer Yatta stands as the focus of the film because this Palestinian village complex faces imminent displacement. The documentary follows the story of the developing friendship between Palestinian journalist Basel Adra and Israeli activist Yuval Abraham alongside their perspective on the Israeli conflict. The detention of Hamdan Ballal triggered worldwide interest after his documentary team won the Oscar just several weeks earlier. Activist organizations together with his supporters urge for his immediate freedom while the tension in the region remains elevated.
