Settlers Attack Filmmaker in Susya
Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal in the occupied West Bank village of Susya. Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, suffered head and stomach injuries.
Israeli soldiers removed Ballal from an ambulance and detained him. His co-director, Yuval Abraham, reported the incident on X. Ballal’s whereabouts remained unknown for hours after his arrest.
A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal, co director of our film no other land. They beat him and he has injuries in his head and stomach, bleeding. Soldiers invaded the ambulance he called, and took him. No sign of him since.
— Yuval Abraham יובל אברהם (@yuval_abraham) March 24, 2025
Eyewitnesses Report Violent Attack
The Centre for Jewish Nonviolence (CJNV) stated that settlers threw stones at Palestinian residents, homes, and vehicles. Ballal sustained a head injury from a stone.
Palestinian news agency WAFA confirmed that four Palestinians suffered injuries. Lawyer Leah Tsemmel said police claimed Ballal was receiving medical treatment at a military base. She was unable to speak with him.
Israeli Military Responds
The Israeli military said three Palestinians and one Israeli were detained. The army denied removing Ballal from an ambulance.
The military described the incident as a confrontation between settlers and Palestinians. It alleged that “several terrorists” threw rocks at Israeli civilians, damaging their vehicles. It also claimed that Palestinians threw rocks at soldiers.
The military confirmed an Israeli civilian sustained injuries and received medical treatment.
Co-Directors and Activists Speak Out
Ballal’s co-director, Basel Adra, arrived at the scene after receiving a distress call. Adra saw Ballal being taken away by Israeli soldiers. Settlers threw stones outside Ballal’s home, while soldiers fired at anyone attempting to intervene.
I’m standing with Karam, Hamdan’s 7 year old son, near the blood of Hamdan’s in his house, after settlers lynched him. Hamdan, co-director of our film No Other Land, is still missing after soldiers abducted him, injured and bleeding. This is how they erase Masafer Yatta. pic.twitter.com/72pT3UF3kj
— Basel Adra (@basel_adra) March 24, 2025
Yuval Abraham described the settlers as masked men carrying out a coordinated attack. He shared footage showing a masked man throwing a rock at the camera before the screen turned black.
The group of armed KKK-like masked settlers that lynched No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal (still missing), caught here on camera. pic.twitter.com/kFGFxSEanY
— Yuval Abraham יובל אברהם (@yuval_abraham) March 24, 2025
Activists Also Targeted
Five American activists from CJNV reported being attacked by settlers wielding batons, knives, and an assault rifle. The attack followed a dispute involving a settler shepherding near a Palestinian home.
Jenna, an activist who requested anonymity, said settlers struck her group with sticks and vandalised their car. A video showed a masked individual hurling a rock at the windshield. Photos revealed shattered glass inside the vehicle.
Hamdan Ballal, l’un des co-réalisateurs palestiniens du film documentaire oscarisé No other land, vient d’être lynché par des colons israéliens en Cisjordanie. Nous sommes désormais sans nouvelle de lui après que l’armée l’ait embarqué.
Une agression ignoble. Il faut stopper… pic.twitter.com/o4AY59CuEm— Thomas Portes (@Portes_Thomas) March 24, 2025
Josh Kimelman, another activist, said Israeli soldiers watched oscar the attack but did not intervene. He said soldiers reassured them but did not pursue the settlers.
Ballal’s Past Experiences with Settler Violence
Ballal, a Palestinian farmer, previously faced settler intimidation. He told CNN last year that settlers released livestock onto his land while he was asleep.
A settler claimed divine right to Ballal’s land. Ballal reported the threats to the police, but no action was taken.
No Other Land Highlights Forced Displacement
No Other Land won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. It explores the forced eviction of Palestinians from Masafer Yatta in the West Bank.
Figure 1: Hamdan won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film for No Other Land
The Israeli army designated Masafer Yatta a military zone in oscar the 1980s. The documentary follows a young Palestinian’s struggle against home demolitions and forced displacement.
The film also depicts settler attacks, playground demolitions, and the killing of Adra’s brother by Israeli soldiers. It highlights the personal connection between Adra and Abraham.
Settler Violence and Expanding Outposts
Israeli settler violence in the West Bank has escalated. oscar Reports oscar from Peace Now and Kerem Navot show that herding outposts increased by nearly 50% after the war began.
The West Bank houses three million Palestinians and nearly half a million Israeli settlers. International law considers Israeli settlements illegal.
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The United Nations and human rights groups oscar have documented increased settler attacks in recent months. Many incidents involve armed settlers targeting Palestinian communities while Israeli forces fail to intervene.
The arrest of Ballal follows ongoing tensions and rising violence in the oscar region. Activists and filmmakers continue documenting these incidents despite increasing risks.
