According to reports, Palestinian Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal was attacked by Israeli settlers before being detained by the Israeli military. His co-director stated that Ballal has been released. Activists claim that Ballal's residence in the occupied West Bank was attacked by settlers on Monday.
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03-30, 2025Ballal's co-director, Yuval Abraham, said that Ballal was beaten by settlers and then taken from an ambulance by soldiers. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied this claim. Abraham stated on Tuesday afternoon that Ballal had been released. The IDF said that three Palestinians and one Israeli were detained on suspicion of "throwing rocks" at security forces.
Five activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence (CJNV) said they went to the village to document the incident, but they themselves were attacked. Settlers smashed their car windows and beat them with fists and sticks. Earlier, an activist at the scene told the BBC that three detained Palestinians, including Ballal, were injured in the settler attack and were being held at an Israeli police station in the West Bank.
The activist stated that they were suspected of throwing stones and injuring a young settler shepherd and were being interrogated. They were able to contact a lawyer. According to activists, the attack began around 6 p.m. on Monday (16:00 GMT) when about a dozen masked settlers attacked the village of Susya. Ballal's residence was reportedly surrounded by settlers.
Israeli director Yuval Abraham jointly won an Oscar with Ballal this month. He said the attack caused injuries and property damage. The activist who spoke to the BBC said they had complained to Israeli soldiers that they were being attacked. They said the army initially just stood by, only approaching when the attack on the car was about to end. The activist said the soldiers then refused to pursue the settlers, allowing them to freely attack homes on the other side of the hill. The IDF confirmed that soldiers and police had arrived at the scene to disperse the conflict. They said that stones were "thrown at security forces."
The IDF stated: "In response, the forces arrested three Palestinians suspected of throwing stones at them, as well as an Israeli civilian involved in the violent confrontation. The detainees have been taken to an Israeli police station for further questioning. An Israeli citizen was injured in the incident and has been evacuated for treatment."
“No Other Land” won the Best Documentary award at the 97th Academy Awards. The film tells the story of the struggle surrounding Masafer Yatta – a community of about 20 villages – and the friendship between Adela and Abraham.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law, but Israel disputes this. Over the past 55 years, these settlements have continued to expand, becoming a focal point for violent conflict and land ownership disputes. Since the outbreak of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, settler violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank has surged.
