Mon Mar 24 21:14:08 UTC 2025: ## Oscar-Winning Documentary Co-Director Arrested After Settler Attack
**RAMALLAH, WEST BANK** – Hamdan Ballal, Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” was arrested by Israeli forces following a violent attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. His fellow co-director, Yuval Abraham, reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Ballal was “lynched” by settlers, sustaining head and stomach injuries. Abraham stated that Israeli soldiers subsequently apprehended Ballal from the ambulance he was transported in, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Video footage obtained by the Center for Jewish Nonviolence shows masked settlers assaulting activists, including the attack on Ballal. The footage depicts the settlers using stones and sticks, damaging vehicles and injuring those present. Jewish activists at the scene also reported being attacked.
The Israeli military confirmed it is investigating the incident but has yet to release a statement regarding Ballal’s arrest. “No Other Land,” which won several international awards including at the Berlin International Film Festival, chronicles the struggle of Palestinian activist Basel Adra against the demolition of his hometown, Masafer Yatta. The film’s success has also sparked controversy in Israel and internationally. The arrest of Ballal has further fueled tensions in the region. Activists and international observers are demanding his immediate release and a thorough investigation into the attack.
First Piper 