Film And TV
17 Feb 26

No Other Land co-director attacked by Israeli settlers

<i>No Other Land</i> co-director attacked by Israeli settlers

Still from No Other Land.

"We call the police, they do nothing," said Ballal. "The army comes, and they do nothing."

The Academy Award-winning co-director of No Other Land, Hamdan Ballal, was assaulted on Sunday at his West Bank home by a group of Israeli settlers.

This incident follows a previous attack by the same settler shortly after Ballal's Oscar win in March 2025.

In a statement on social media, Ballal also disclosed that his brother is hospitalised with serious injuries, while four others are currently under arrest.

Ballal has spoken out regarding the escalation of Israeli attacks in Palestinian territories, speaking a year after the intensified conflict began. Ballal emphasised the severity of military operations and airstrikes, which have caused significant civilian loss of life and widespread destruction of infrastructure.

“Two weeks ago, we managed to get a decision from the Israeli court that the area around my home is closed to non-residents, but the settlers break that order and still come with their flocks almost every day,” Ballal said in an Instagram post. “We call the police, they do nothing. The army comes, and they do nothing. Today, Shem Tov Lusky—the settler who attacked me in my home shortly after I won the Oscar last year—came with his flock to my home. My brother called the police to report the incursion. The army came first and immediately raided our house, attacking everyone inside.”

No Other Land chronicles a Palestinian community's fight against displacement by Israeli forces in the West Bank. An Israeli-Palestinian team, including Abraham, Ballal, Basel Adra, and Rachel Szor, created the film.

A few weeks after No Other Land won the Oscar for Best Documentary on March 2, 2025, Ballal was the victim of a violent attack by Israeli settlers near his home in the West Bank. Reports indicated he was assaulted by Israeli soldiers and held for 24 hours at an Israeli army base. This account was disputed by the IDF at the time.

In July, 2025, Palestinian activist, teacher and journalist Awdah Hathaleen, who also worked on No Other Land, was shot and killed by an Israeli settler in the West Bank.

In anticipation of the conflict's anniversary, the documentary team is organizing a series of screenings and discussions. Ballal stated that their goal in sharing these personal narratives is to promote a deeper understanding of the complexities at hand and ultimately to motivate steps toward a peaceful resolution.