Family of ‘No Other Land’ director attacked despite court order

Wednesday 18 February 2026 - 18:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Family of ‘No Other Land’ director attacked despite court order

Hamdan Ballal, co director of the Oscar winning documentary “No Other Land,” said Sunday that members of his family were attacked in the occupied West Bank despite a recent Israeli court order intended to keep non residents away from their home area.

Ballal said the assault took place in the village of Susya, two weeks after a court ruling barred non residents from entering the area surrounding his house. According to a statement he shared on social media, the same Israeli settler who had assaulted him following his Academy Awards victory nearly a year ago was involved in the latest incident.

The confrontation began when settler Shem Tov Lusky allegedly arrived near the family residence with his livestock. After Ballal’s brother contacted police to report trespassing, Israeli soldiers reached the scene before law enforcement officers, Ballal said. He alleged that troops entered the house and assaulted those inside.

During the raid, one of Ballal’s brothers was reportedly restrained by the neck by a soldier and later hospitalized with breathing difficulties. Two brothers, a nephew and a cousin were detained for several hours before being released.

Ballal said the court decision had been expected to provide a measure of security but instead was followed by what he described as intensified harassment. He accused authorities of failing to enforce the ruling and of siding with settlers during the confrontation.

The incident comes as Israel has approved a land registration plan in the West Bank that critics argue could facilitate annexation of Palestinian territory.

“No Other Land” won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature on March 2, 2025. Weeks later, on March 24, Ballal said he was attacked by masked settlers near his home, suffering head and abdominal injuries. He was subsequently detained by Israeli soldiers, blindfolded and held overnight at a military base before being released.

The film documents the displacement of Palestinians from Masafer Yatta, where Israeli authorities have demolished homes to establish a military firing zone. Since the Oscar win, tensions in the area have escalated. In July 2025, Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, who appeared in the documentary, was shot dead by an Israeli settler.

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli settlers have frequently grazed livestock on Palestinian land in the area, a practice critics say is aimed at asserting control and laying the groundwork for unauthorized outposts while limiting Palestinian access to agricultural resources.