Ballal is an Oscar-winning co-director of the documentary No Other Land
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) today led 29 of their bicameral colleagues in raising the alarm over escalating violence in the West Bank. In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Lawmakers urge the Trump Administration to immediately reinstate sanctions against individuals who perpetrate violence that undermines regional stability and security in the West Bank. The bicameral letter comes in response to the violent assault of Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, an Oscar-winning co-director of the documentary, No Other Land, which chronicles life for Palestinians under occupation in the West Bank.
“The assault on Mr. Ballal occurred against the backdrop of intensified Israeli military operations across the West Bank,” wrote the Lawmakers. “Given the gravity of this attack and its implications on the ability of Palestinian civilians to advocate for self-determination peacefully, the U.S. must put pressure on the Israeli government to hold perpetrators accountable.”
On March 24, 2025, Ballal was attacked by a group of Israeli settlers in the village of Susiya in the occupied West Bank. The account of the attack from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) differs greatly from witness reports, which also claim that the IDF did not intervene and instead handcuffed Ballal after he sustained serious injuries.
“Given Mr. Ballal’s platform, we are especially concerned that this violent attack and failure to hold his perpetrators accountable suppresses his freedom of speech and those who tell Palestinian stories,” continued the Lawmakers. “While it is important to dismantle militant cells in the West Bank that threaten the security of the Israeli people, we are concerned recent Israeli operations have disproportionately impacted Palestinian civilians.”
This assault occurred as tensions continue to rise in the occupied West Bank during intensified military operations by the IDF forces. Since January, operations have displaced more than 40,000 Palestinians.
In addition to Senator Welch, the letter was signed by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
In the House, the letter was signed by Representative Jayapal and Reps. Becca Balint (VT-At-Large), André Carson (D-IN-07), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL-01), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (D-GA-04), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), James P. McGovern (D-MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Melanie A. Stansbury (D-NM-01), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-07), Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12).
The Lawmakers’ letter is supported by the American Friends of Combatants for Peace, CAIR Action, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Church Women United in New York State, Christian-Jewish Allies for a Just Peace for Israel/Palestine, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), IfNotNow Movement, J Street, Jahalin Solidarity, MARUF CT, Medglobal, Minnesota Peace Project, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Civic Coalition, Muslims United PAC, New Jewish Narrative, Oasis Legal Services, Partners for Progressive Israel, Peace Action, Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!, ReThinking Foreign Policy, RootsAction, Upte Members for Palestine, Voices for Justice in Palestine, WILPF, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section (WILPF US), and Win Without War.
Read the full text of the letter.
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