In a disturbing incident reported on Monday, Israeli settlers assaulted Hamdan Ballal, one of the Palestinian co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land”, in the occupied West Bank. The attack took place in the Palestinian village of Susiya, located in the Masafer Yatta area, where dozens of settlers were involved in violent confrontations, as described by the activist group Center for Jewish Nonviolence.
Activists on the ground reported that Ballal was severely beaten, resulting in visible injuries, including a bleeding head. As he received medical attention in an ambulance, Israeli military personnel detained him along with another Palestinian man. Josh Kimelman, an activist present during the incident, expressed concern over Ballal's whereabouts, stating, “We don’t know where Hamdan is because he was taken away in a blindfold.”
Witnesses described a chaotic scene where a group of approximately 10 to 20 masked settlers attacked both Ballal and other Jewish activists. They hurled stones, wielded sticks, and vandalized vehicles by smashing windows and slashing tires. A video released by the Center for Jewish Nonviolence captured the terrifying moments, showcasing masked settlers violently confronting the activists in a dusty field at night.
“No Other Land” has garnered international acclaim, winning the Oscar for Best Documentary this year. The film highlights the ongoing struggle of the residents of Masafer Yatta against efforts by the Israeli military to demolish their homes and villages. Co-directed by Ballal and fellow Palestinian Basel Adra, along with Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the documentary has received multiple awards, starting at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2024. However, it has also faced criticism and backlash, including a controversial proposal in Miami Beach to terminate the lease of a theater screening the film.
The Israeli military designated Masafer Yatta as a live-fire training zone during the 1980s, leading to the displacement orders for its predominantly Arab Bedouin residents. Despite facing threats of expulsion, around 1,000 individuals have managed to stay in their homes, although military forces frequently conduct demolitions of essential infrastructure such as homes, tents, water tanks, and olive orchards. This precarious situation leaves the residents in constant fear of imminent eviction.
Since Israel's capture of the West Bank during the 1967 Six-Day War, the region has been a focal point of contention, with Palestinians aspiring to establish a state that includes the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. The growth of Israeli settlements poses a significant hurdle to achieving a viable two-state solution, with over 100 settlements now housing more than 500,000 Israeli settlers. Currently, around 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military administration, while the Palestinian Authority oversees population centers.
The ongoing conflict has seen a worrying escalation in violence, particularly in the wake of the recent war in Gaza, which has resulted in hundreds of Palestinian casualties during extensive military operations in the West Bank. Additionally, there has been a noticeable increase in settler attacks against Palestinian communities, contributing to the already volatile atmosphere.
The situation remains tense, with both Palestinian and Israeli communities affected by the cycle of violence. As events unfold, the international community continues to watch closely, hoping for a resolution that upholds the rights and safety of all involved.
