Filmmaker Hamdan Ballal Brutally Attacked by Israeli Settlers in Shocking Incident!

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A director involved in the Academy Award-winning Best Documentary film “No Other Land” has been physically attacked at his home in Masafer Yatta by Israeli settlers and is now being held by Israeli military forces for undisclosed reasons, as reported by The Associated Press. The filmmaker, Hamdan Ballal, was allegedly beaten up by a group of 10-20 masked Israeli settlers. According to the report, these settlers attacked Ballal and other Jewish activists with rocks and sticks, causing damage to their car windows and tires.

The award-winning documentary filmmaker sustained a head injury and was subsequently apprehended along with another Palestinian man by soldiers. While receiving medical attention in an ambulance, these events transpired. The Israeli military is reportedly investigating this incident without providing immediate comment to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, the Center for Jewish Nonviolence claims that a group of settlers raided the Palestinian village of Susiya in Masafer Yatta, causing damage to property. A 28-year-old eyewitness, Josh Kimelman, reported on the scene:

“We don’t know where Hamdan is because he was taken away in a blindfold.”

In 2024, “No Other Land” – a documentary movie produced by Hamdan Ballal along with Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor for their first directorial venture – will be released. This film tells the story of the residents in Masafer Yatta who are battling against the Israeli military to prevent the destruction of their villages amidst the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Notably, this movie is a joint effort between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers; Palestinian filmmakers Hamdan Ballal and Basel Adra reside in Masafer Yatta, while Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor hail from Israeli origins.

The Pushback to ‘No Other Land’

Regardless of its perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, multiple awards including Best Documentary Film at the 97th Academy Awards, the film “No Other Land” has encountered significant resistance. Even with an Oscar in its possession, it hasn’t been successful in securing a wide distribution deal. Just two weeks after winning the Oscar, Miami Beach mayor Steven Meiner presented a resolution to terminate the lease of a city-owned art house cinema, O Cinema, for showing the film. The mayor has since abandoned the plan to evict, but the fact that such a proposal was made highlights a concerning issue.

It’s regrettably reminiscent that Hamdan Ballal is currently being held without charges, as there’s a parallel situation unfolding in the United States currently. On March 8, 2025, Mahmoud Khalil, a student activist and legal U.S. resident from Columbia University, was detained by immigration officials. This was due to his role as a spokesperson and negotiator during pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Despite insufficient evidence supporting the Trump administration’s accusations that Khalil was supportive of Hamas, they are now alleging that he provided false information on his Green Card application instead.

The Trump government aims to expel Khalil using an infrequently invoked provision in the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This provision was written during McCarthyism and permits the removal of individuals who could cause “significant negative foreign policy implications” for the U.S. It’s disheartening that two governments are holding Mahmoud Khalil and Hamdan Ballal, apparently due to their vocal opposition against unjustified killings. However, their actions are being misrepresented as something more ominous.

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2025-03-25 01:31