By Sama Marwan,
In recent hours, the name of Palestinian director Hamdan Bilal, one of the filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, has gone viral on social media following an attack by a group of armed settlers before being arrested by the Israeli army.
This incident has sparked widespread anger and condemnation across social media platforms and the international community, particularly after Israeli forces arrested Bilal while he was being transported in an ambulance, further complicating the situation.
No Other Land, which won Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Academy Awards, documents the struggles of Palestinian residents against Israeli military orders to demolish their villages.
Directed by Hamdan Bilal and Basel Adra from Palestine, alongside Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the film stands as one of the most significant cinematic works exposing Israeli violations in the West Bank. It deeply explores the humanitarian conditions in Palestinian territories, particularly amid ongoing Israeli policies in the region.
Since winning the Oscar, the film has gained global recognition and has won multiple international awards following its success at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival. However, it has also sparked significant controversy both within and outside Israel due to its critical portrayal of Israeli actions in the occupied territories. Many activists and human rights organizations consider it one of the most important works shedding light on the Palestinian reality under Israeli occupation.
Political and Human Rights Reactions
In response to the incident, Knesset member Ayman Odeh, leader of the Hadash-Ta’al list, has submitted an urgent inquiry to Israeli Security Minister Yisrael Katz regarding “the assault on Palestinian director Hamdan Bilal and his abduction by occupation forces from an ambulance.”
A statement from Odeh’s office emphasized that Hamdan Bilal is the co-director of No Other Land, a film that exposes the crimes of the occupation and settlers in the West Bank. Odeh stressed that this attack is part of a broader effort to silence voices that reveal Israeli practices. He demanded transparency regarding the identity of the settlers who attacked Bilal, as well as information about his whereabouts and the reasons behind his abduction while being transported to the hospital, suggesting a deliberate attempt to obstruct his medical treatment.
This attack on the Palestinian filmmaker has drawn widespread condemnation from international figures and institutions. Numerous human rights organizations, Palestinian activists, and global advocates have called for a serious and thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be held accountable. They assert that such actions represent a blatant violation of human rights and an ongoing attempt to suppress efforts to document the realities of life under occupation.
