Palestinian activist featured in Oscar-winning film murdered by Israeli settler who had US sanctions lifted
Umm al-Khair, West Bank - A Palestinian community leader who was featured in the Oscar-winning film No Other Land was murdered by an Israeli settler who recently had US sanctions against him lifted by President Donald Trump's administration.
The Palestinian Authority said on social media that Awdah Hathaleen "was shot dead by settlers... during their attack on the village of Umm al-Khair" near Hebron, in the south of the illegally occupied territory.
The Israeli police earlier said it was investigating an "incident near Carmel," an illegal settlement neighboring Umm al-Khair.
"An Israeli citizen was detained at the scene and then arrested by police for questioning," a police statement said.
"Four Palestinians were arrested by (Israeli military) soldiers in connection with the incident, along with two foreign tourists who were at the scene."
Hathaleen in was a resident of Masafer Yatta, a string of hamlets located on the hills south of Hebron, which have been declared a military zone by Israel – a move commonly used to dispossess and displace Palestinians from their own lands.
Locals' efforts to prevent Israeli forces from destroying their homes was the subject of No Other Land, which won Best Documentary at the Oscars in March.
Israeli co-director Yuval Abraham posted a video on Instagram showing a man with a gun in his hand arguing with a group of people, while shouts can be heard in Hebrew and Arabic.
"An Israeli settler just shot Odeh Hadalin in the lungs, a remarkable activist who helped us film No Other Land in Masafer Yatta," Abraham wrote.
He identified the shooter as Yinon Levi, a notorious Israeli settler who was previously singled out for sanctions by Joe Biden's administration, but had them lifted after Trump took office.
Hathaleen stopped from entering US last month
In June, Hathaleen was refused entry to the US despite holding a valid visa and traveling at the invitation of Jewish groups. One of the film's Palestinian co-directors, Hamdan Ballal, has also been frequently attacked by settlers.
At least 962 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers, often acting in concert, since the start of Israel's campaign of destruction in Gaza – now considered by experts and scholars to be a full-blown genocide.
Israeli leaders have also taken steps to formally annex the West Bank, forcibly displacing thousands of Palestinians from their homes.
Cover photo: Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions