Israel Arrests ‘No Other Land’ Director Hamdan Ballal

Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was arrested by Israeli forces following a violent attack by masked Israeli settlers in Susya, a village in the southern Hebron Governorate of the West Bank.

Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning film “No Other Land,” has been beaten and taken by Israeli settlers, TMZ reports. pic.twitter.com/EgaBytA3Nl

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Attack and Arrest

According to The Guardian, at least 15 masked settlers stormed Ballal’s home, hurling stones at Palestinian residents and vandalizing property. Five Jewish American activists, who witnessed and filmed the assault, reported that the settlers slashed the tires of Ballal’s car, shattered its windows, and destroyed a nearby water tank.

“They started throwing stones towards Palestinians and destroyed a water tank near Hamdan’s house,” said one activist, who remained anonymous for security reasons. The settlers, reportedly accompanied by Israeli soldiers, chased Ballal into his home before arresting him.

Ballal sustained head injuries during the attack, with footage showing blood on the floor. He was later taken into custody along with another Palestinian, identified as Nasser. The Israeli military, in an official statement, labeled Ballal a "terrorist," alleging that he and three others had thrown rocks at security forces.

Controversy and Global Reaction

The arrest has sparked international outrage, particularly among pro-Palestinian and human rights activists. Basel Adra, a fellow No Other Land director, condemned the incident, calling it "horrific" and suggesting the arrest may be linked to the film’s global success.

Yuval Abraham, an Israeli co-director of the documentary, shared on social media that soldiers even entered an ambulance called for Ballal, and he has been missing since the arrest.

This is not the first time the No Other Land team has faced violence. In February, Adra himself was targeted in a similar settler attack.

The arrest and attack highlight ongoing tensions in the occupied West Bank, where settler violence against Palestinians has escalated, often with the backing or presence of Israeli security forces.

Social Media Uproar

Videos of the incident have gone viral, amplifying calls for Ballal’s immediate release. Activists and filmmakers worldwide are demanding answers, with many viewing the arrest as an attempt to silence voices shedding light on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.

The Israeli government has yet to respond to growing international criticism over the filmmaker’s detention.