Palestinian Filmmaker Assaulted in West Bank Following Oscar Win

On March 24, 2025, Hamdan Ballal, awarded for his documentary "No Other Land", suffered a brutal assault in his village of Susya, located in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Witnesses recounted how Ballal was attacked by a group of at least 20 masked assailants, primarily teenagers armed with weapons including rocks and knives. Joseph Kaplan Weinger, a volunteer with an initiative aimed at protecting communities from settler violence, stumbled upon the incident. He stated that the attackers targeted residents who were breaking their fast during Ramadan, taunting them with holiday greetings while they escalated the assault.

In an effort to summon help, Weinger attempted to alert nearby Israeli soldiers by honking his car horn; however, he claimed that the soldiers did not intervene. After reaching the scene, he noted blood had been shed on the ground, confirming the violence of the attack. Ballal, aged 37, was reportedly among three Palestinians detained following the incident. Leah Zemel, their attorney, indicated the individuals were being cared for at a military facility, though she was uncertain about the reasons behind their detainment.

The Israeli military issued a statement regarding the conflict, alleging that “several terrorists” initiated violence by throwing rocks at Israeli citizens, causing damage to vehicles. The military described the subsequent events as a "violent confrontation," characterizing the direct conflict between Palestinians and Israelis as mutual rock-throwing.