Oscar-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal was arrested after clashes with Israeli settlers in the West Bank on March 24 2025

The incident took place in the village of Susiya near Hebron and has raised new questions about rising tensions in the region 

no other land director,Israeli settlers and arrested

Violent standoff during Ramzan Iftar party

According to Jihad Nawaja head of the Susiya local council Ballal was attending an iftar party which marks the end of the daily fasting of Ramadan when dozens of armed Israeli settlers attacked the event The settlers are accused of attempting to steal sheep from unarmed Palestinian farmers after village youth tried to stop them

The crowd gathered for iftar was attacked by dozens of people Youths came out to stop them and about eight people from our side were injured Nawaja told Reuters According to witnesses Ballal a prominent name in Palestinian activism and filmmaking was injured during the clashes but it is not yet clear how serious his injuries are

Israeli police intervened and arrested three people including Ballal The Israeli military says the arrests were made after Palestinians threw stones at settlers vehicles but local witnesses say the settlers initiated the violence

Hamdan Ballal from Oscar fame to arrest on the West Coast

Hamdan Ballal gained international fame earlier this month when No Other Land won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards ceremony March 2 2025 Hollywood The film was a joint effort by Ballal and Bassel Adra The Palestinian director was accompanied by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Srour The film depicts the forced displacement of Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta by Israeli authorities The film received both critical acclaim and considerable controversy

Ballals arrest just weeks after winning an Oscar shows the personal risks involved in documenting resistance against the occupation Yuval Abraham Ballals Israeli codirector posted on Xfiles that soldiers attacked the ambulance called by Hamdan and took him away He is injured and is being held at a settlement police station His lawyer has not yet been allowed to speak to him Contradictions

Accounts and rejected claims

The Israeli military has denied that Ballal was taken away by ambulance According to their statement the violence started when Palestinians threw stones at Israeli civilian vehicles after which security forces arrested three Palestinians along with an Israeli civilian involved in the confrontation

But witnesses including activists from the Jewish Center for Nonviolence say otherwise They say masked men some armed and some in Israeli uniforms attacked the village of Susiya targeted Ballals home wounded him and then handed him over to the army Video clips shared by Gates of Abraham show settlers throwing stones and soldiers firing into the air

Global response and legacy of No Other Land

Ballals detention has triggered reactions around the world Supporters of No Other Land see it as retaliation against filmmaker Basel Adra We have come back from the Oscars and since then we are being attacked every day Another codirector told the Associated Press that this could be his revenge for making the film

After winning the Oscar the films message became a strong resistance against the demolition of Palestinian villages but it also raised the anger of some people No Other Land received no response in Israel Miami Beach even proposed to terminate the lease of a theater over its screening now Ballals arrest highlights our struggle which is discussed in the documentary

Whats next for Hamdan Ballal

Ballals exact location remains unclear as of 25 Mar 2025 0430 AM PDT According to activists he has been taken away blindfolded and his lawyer has not yet been allowed to meet him The Israeli Defense Forces IDF say those arrested have been transferred for police interrogation but further details about Ballals condition or location have not yet been made available

The incident has reignited ongoing debates about press freedom human rights and the treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories The whole world is watching and there is now growing pressure for transparency and accountability

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The arrest of Hamdan Ballal is a developing story and we will continue to provide realtime coverage as new updates emerge Bookmark this page or subscribe to the newsletter for the latest news on the Israel Palestine conflict No Other Land and Ballals status