Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker arrested after West Bank clashes
Hamdan Ballal, one of the directors behind the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, has been arrested by Israeli forces following a violent confrontation in the West Bank village of Masafer Yatta.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Ballal was detained on suspicion of throwing stones at soldiers during clashes between Palestinians and Israelis near the village of Sussiya, located in the South Hebron Hills. Three Palestinians and one Israeli were arrested, according to the IDF, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
Ballal’s arrest comes just weeks after he appeared onstage at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood to accept the Oscar for Best Documentary. No Other Land, which was co-directed with Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, explores the demolitions and displacement facing Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, a region at the heart of long-standing disputes over land and settlement expansion.
Yuval Abraham, who was reportedly with Ballal’s family at the time of the incident, claimed on X that Ballal was attacked in his home by settlers before being taken from an ambulance by Israeli soldiers. “Hamdan, co-director of our film No Other Land, is still missing after soldiers abducted him, injured and bleeding,” he wrote.
The IDF denied claims that Ballal was removed from an ambulance, saying the arrests took place during the confrontation itself. “The detainees were taken for further questioning by Israeli police,” a spokesperson added.
Abraham alleged that the incident was part of “a long-standing campaign to expel the residents of Masafer Yatta to make way for settlements”, which he claimed is “backed by the army”.
The documentary has sparked controversy in both Israeli and Palestinian circles. While it has been praised by human rights groups, Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar criticised the film as “sabotage against the State of Israel”, while a prominent BDS group also condemned its message.
As of Tuesday morning, Ballal’s condition and whereabouts remain unclear.
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