Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal was released by Israeli police on Tuesday, March 25, a day after his arrest for allegedly “hurling rocks” during a confrontation in the occupied West Bank.
Ballal, who won an Oscar for the documentary No Other Land, was detained following what activists described as an attack by settlers in the southern West Bank village of Susya.
Basel Adra, Ballal’s co-director on No Other Land, shared a photo on social media showing Ballal with bloodstains on his shirt after his release. In a video statement, Ballal said, “After winning the Oscar, I never expected to face such attacks,” describing the assault as “very strong” and carried out with “intent to kill.”
According to the Israeli military, three Palestinians were detained on Monday for allegedly throwing rocks during a confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians in Susya.
A military statement claimed both sides had engaged in rock-throwing. Susya, near Masafer Yatta, is a key location featured in No Other Land, which documents the forced displacement of Palestinians by Israeli forces and settlers.
A police spokesperson confirmed that Ballal and two others were released on bail while the investigation continues on charges of rock throwing, property damage, and endangering regional security.
Ballal, however, claimed that he was attacked by a settler. “He was hitting me all over my body, and a soldier was also involved,” he told reporters. Yuval Abraham, co-director of No Other Land, said Ballal suffered head and stomach injuries, with visible bleeding.
Activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence, who were in Susya to document settler violence, confirmed the assault.
“This kind of violence happens regularly,” said Jenna, an activist who witnessed the incident. A group of 15 to 20 settlers reportedly attacked the activists and Ballal’s home before Israeli forces intervened.
Rights groups have reported a rise in settler violence in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war began. The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is home to approximately three million Palestinians and nearly half a million Israeli settlers, with the settlements considered illegal under international law.
