The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organises the Oscars, has addressed the attack on award-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal by Israeli settlers, but stopped short of naming him.
In a letter addressed to members on Thursday, president Janet Yang and chief executive Bill Kramer said the Academy "condemns harming or suppressing artists for their work or their viewpoints". However, as to addressing "social, political and economic events", they said that it was "important to note that the Academy represents close to 11,000 global members with many unique viewpoints".
The statement came a day after Israeli director Yuval Abraham, who shares co-directing credits with Ballal on the Oscar-winning film No Other Land, criticised the Academy for its silence on the attack.
"Sadly, the US Academy, which awarded us an Oscar three weeks ago, declined to publicly support Hamdan Ballal [after] he was beaten and tortured by Israeli soldiers and settlers," Abraham posted on X on Wednesday. "The European Academy voiced support, as did countless other award groups and festivals. Several US Academy members – especially in the documentary branch – pushed for a statement, but it was ultimately refused.
"We were told that because other Palestinians were beaten up in the settler attack, it could be considered unrelated to the film, so they felt no need to respond," Abraham added.
Ballal and two other Palestinians were arrested by Israeli authorities on Monday evening after more than a dozen settlers stormed his home village of Susya in Masafer Yatta. Ballal suffered injuries to his head and stomach, Abraham said.
The three were released on Tuesday afternoon from a police station in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba. Ballal, who had bruises on his face and blood on his clothes, told reporters soldiers and settlers beat him and threatened him with guns. “The soldiers shot three times in the air,” he said. He was blindfolded and had his hands tied while in detention and made to sit under the air conditioning.
“We came back from the Oscars and every day since there is an attack on us,” co-director Basel Adra, who was at the scene, told AP. “This might be their revenge on us for making the movie. It feels like a punishment.”
The global film industry was quick to condemn the attack and arrest. The Berlin Film Festival, where No Other Land had its premiere and won best documentary last year, called the incident “very distressing”.
“Our thoughts are with Hamdan,” the festival posted on its Instagram account. “The wellbeing and the security of our alumni filmmakers concerns the Berlinale community and we call for his safe return to friends and family."
The US-based International Documentary Association, which also honoured No Other Land last year, posted a message on Instagram demanding Ballal’s immediate release.
It was Abraham who posted the Academy's letter on X. "After our criticism, the Academy's leaders sent out this email to members explaining their silence on Hamdan's assault," he shared.
No Other Land has won numerous awards since its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival last year. But the Palestinian-Israeli co-production, which follows the struggles faced by residents of Masafer Yatta as they try to protect their homes from Israeli settlers, has struggled to find a major distributor in the US.
Dubai film distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment, which acquired the film's rights for the Mena region, is set to release it on April 1.
Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Zayed Sustainability Prize
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Results
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More on Quran memorisation:
The specs
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
