---
title: "Oscar-winning Palestinian director injured in clash with Israeli settlers and arrested"
description: "RAMALLAH, March 25 (Reuters) - The Oscar-winning director of a documentary on the Israel-Palestinian conflict was arrested late on Monday during a standoff over an attempt by settlers to steal sheep from Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank, a witness said."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Middle East conflict"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-25-oscar-winning-palestinian-director-injured-in-clash-with-israeli-settlers-and-arrested/"
published: "2025-03-25T13:01:33"
updated: "2025-03-25T13:01:34"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 177
---

# Oscar-winning Palestinian director injured in clash with Israeli settlers and arrested

> RAMALLAH, March 25 (Reuters) - The Oscar-winning director of a documentary on the Israel-Palestinian conflict was arrested late on Monday during a standoff over an attempt by settlers to steal sheep from Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank, a witness said.

By Reuters · Published 25 March 2025, 15:01 SAST · Updated 25 March 2025, 15:01 SAST

## Key points
- In a scene that could rival the drama of his Oscar-winning film, "No Other Land," co-director Hamdan Ballal found himself in the crossfire of a settler attack during an Iftar gathering, proving that sometimes reality outshines even the most poignant scripts.
- Award-winning filmmaker Hamdan Ballal was injured during an Iftar gathering in Susiya village, attacked by settlers.
- Local council head Jihad Nawajaa reported at least eight injuries among attendees as young men defended the gathering.
- Israeli police arrested three individuals, including Ballal, amid claims of rock-throwing by Palestinians.
- The incident follows the success of "No Other Land," a film highlighting Israeli displacement of Palestinians, which won an Oscar this year.

## Content

Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the award-winning "No Other Land", was attending a gathering for Iftar, the end of the daily Ramadan fast, at Susiya village near Hebron, when a group of settlers attacked the gathering, said Jihad Nawajaa, head of the Susiya local council.

"Dozens of settlers attacked the gathering at Iftar," Nawajaa told Reuters by phone. "The young men came out to prevent them, and there were about eight injuries on our side."

Israeli police arrested three men, including Ballal, who was injured during the standoff, he said. It was unclear how badly he had been injured.

The Israeli military said police and soldiers intervened after Palestinians threw rocks at the vehicles of Israeli citizens. It said three Palestinians suspected of throwing rocks at them were arrested.

It denied reports that at least one of the Palestinians was arrested in an ambulance.

["No Other Land,"](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL2N3PM026&linkedFromStory=true) a film about Israeli displacement of a Palestinian community, co-directed by Palestinian and Israeli directors, won the Oscar at this year's Academy Awards.

(Reporting by Ali Sawafta; Editing by Sharon Singleton)