Tel Aviv [Israel], March 25 : Oscar-winning Israel-Palestine documentary "No Other Land," co-director Hamdan Ballal was allegedly attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and taken away by Israeli soldiers as per his colleague Yuval Abraham and other eyewitnesses, reported Variety.
As per Variety, Abraham claimed that Ballal was injured and bleeding from his head before the soldiers invaded his ambulance and took him away.
Taking to his X handle, Abraham wrote, "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."
https://x.com/yuval_abraham/status/1904235552620339365
As per CNN, Abraham did not witness the incident himself.
Oscar awardee 'No Other Land' documentary's co-director Basel Adra also recalled the incident to CNN after he went to the West Bank village of Susya in response to Ballal's call of distress.
"Outside Ballal's home was a group of Israeli settlers, some of whom were throwing stones. Israeli police and military were also outside the home, and Israeli soldiers were firing at anyone who tried to get close," said Adra as quoted by CNN.
As per the outlet, the Israeli military said it had arrived at the scene of a "violent confrontation" between Palestinians and Israelis who were throwing rocks at each other. It said a fight had broken out after several "terrorists hurled rocks at Israeli citizens, damaging their vehicles."
Three Palestinians and an Israeli were then taken in for questioning after "several terrorists" threw rocks at the security forces, it said, as quoted by CNN.
The alleged attack came just three weeks after 'No Other Land' won the Academy Award for best documentary. On stage, directors Abraham, Ballal, Basel Adra and Rachel Szor highlighted a call for action to the destruction happening in Gaza.
'No Other Land' follows a Palestinian family living in the West Bank as their home gets destroyed by the Israeli government and they face displacement.
But amidst the dire conditions, Adra and Abraham, an Israeli journalist, form an unexpected friendship and work together to document the story.