**Palestinian Oscar Winner Detained in the West Bank**
Activists claim that a Palestinian who won an Oscar was detained in the West Bank after a violent outbreak between Israeli settlers. The incident occurred on Monday in the village of Susya.
According to eyewitnesses, five Jewish American activists were also attacked by masked settlers while trying to document the event. They reported that their car windows were smashed and they were beaten with sticks and punches.
The Oscar winner, Hamdan Ballal, is one of four co-directors for a documentary called No Other Land. His house was surrounded by settlers during the attack.
**Israel Denies Beating and Detaining**
Israel has denied that Mr. Ballal was beaten by soldiers and taken from an ambulance. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that three Palestinians and one Israeli were detained on suspicion of “rock-throwing” at security forces.
However, activists claim that the detainees were not involved in any violence and were simply caught up in the incident.
**Escalating Violence**
The incident is part of a wider pattern of escalating violence between settlers and Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. The area has been occupied by Israel since 1967, and international law considers Israeli settlements on the territory to be illegal.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, violence against Palestinian civilians has increased. No Other Land, the documentary that won the Oscar, follows the fight for Masafer Yatta – a community of around 20 villages – and the friendship between Adra & Abraham.
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