The Palestinian director of ‘No Other Land’ was assaulted and arrested in the West Bank, his co-director said
Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian Oscar-winning co-director of No Other Land, has been freed, his Israeli co-director Yuval Abraham said on Tuesday.
«After being handcuffed all night and beaten in a military base, Hamdan Ballal is now free and is about to go home to his family», Abraham posted on X.
Members of the global film industry, including artists and filmmakers, had called for Ballal’s release after his alleged assault by Israeli settlers and subsequent detention by the Israeli army in the West Bank.
Newsweek has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s police for comment.Why It Matters
The incident has highlighted the growing tensions in the West Bank, which have intensified alongside Israel’s ongoing conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. The U.S. remains a key ally and supporter of Israel.What To Know
Co-director Abraham first reported the assault and said Ballal had been assaulted by settlers before being arrested. He corrected an initial post to say that Ballal had not been lynched.
