In a shocking twist, directors of No Other Land, a documentary that explores the harsh realities of life under Israeli occupation, won their Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles last month. But their triumph was marred by bloodshed at home.
On Monday night, as people from the occupied West Bank village of Susiya ended their fast on Ramadan, a group of some two dozen settlers—some in masks and weapons, others wearing military attire—attacked the village. The soldiers who rushed to the location pointed their weapons at local Palestinians while the settlers kept throwing stones.
Lamia Ballal, wife of director Hamdan Ballal, recounted the harrowing moment she heard her husband being attacked just outside their home. Huddled inside with their three children, she heard him cry out, “I’m dying!” while calling for an ambulance. Peering out the window, she witnessed armed men striking her husband with the butts of their rifles, accompanied by a civilian who appeared to be filming the assault.
Of course, since the Oscar, they have attacked us more,” Lamia said, pointing to the fear that now hangs over their family. rights group Amnesty International has called for accountability for the attack, saying, “Hamdan Ballal was forcibly disappeared by Israeli soldiers after being attacked by Israeli settlers. He has now been released, but those responsible must be held accountable.
Ballal recognized one of his attackers as a prominent settler who had previously threatened him. In a widely shared video from August, the settler is seen with masked men, claiming ownership of the land and directly threatening Ballal.
The attack left apparent evidence of brutality, with the small blood splatter outside the Ballal household and broken windshields of their vehicle. Neighbors drew attention to an adjacent water storage tank, having apparent damage, which settlers purportedly caused.
Basel Adra, another co-director of the film and a prominent Palestinian activist, noted a marked increase in assaults by settlers and Israeli forces since the Oscar win. “Nobody can do anything to stop the pogroms, and soldiers are only there to facilitate and help the attacks,” he lamented. “We’re living in dark days here, in Gaza, and all of the West Bank. Nobody’s stopping this.”
In reaction to the violence, the Israeli military reported the arrest of three Palestinians who were suspected of rock-throwing, as well as one Israeli civilian who was involved in what was described as a violent altercation.
