Death of Palestinian Community Leader Awdah Hathaleen
Awdah Hathaleen, a prominent Palestinian community leader and consultant for the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” was shot dead on Monday in the occupied West Bank, allegedly by an Israeli settler.
Yuval Abraham, the filmmaker behind “No Other Land,” announced Hathaleen’s death, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “[Hathaleen] just died. Murdered.” Just two hours before, Abraham had shared a video of the altercation that resulted in Hathaleen’s death, showing a settler brandishing a firearm and threatening individuals in the vicinity.
In his post, Abraham claimed the settler, identified as Yinon Levi, had shot Hathaleen in the lungs. Levi has previously been targeted by international sanctions due to his alleged involvement in attacks against Palestinians. U.S. sanctions on him were lifted by President Trump earlier this year.
The incident took place in the village of Umm al-Khair, a location featured in the documentary “No Other Land.” Following the shooting, Hathaleen was transported to a hospital in Israel, where he was pronounced dead at the age of 31, as confirmed by his family to the New York Times.
Israeli police reported that they had detained an Israeli citizen in relation to the incident. However, they did not disclose the identity of the individual taken into custody, claiming that rocks were thrown at the nearby Israeli settlement of Carmel. The Israeli military also detained a group of Palestinians and two foreign tourists allegedly linked to the incident, according to various reports.
Filmmaker and journalist Basel Adra shared additional footage showing Levi with a firearm, accused of being responsible for Hathaleen’s death. Adra expressed disbelief over his friend’s murder, stating, “This is how Israel erases us — one life at a time.”
The Center for Jewish Nonviolence remembered Hathaleen as a beloved figure in the Masafer Yatta community, who made significant contributions as an activist and educator. They called for justice for Hathaleen and all Palestinians, urging followers to honor his memory. Recently, another team member from “No Other Land,” filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, faced a brutal assault by settlers, highlighting ongoing violence against Palestinians.
