Reporter Julia Frankel was sheltering in place after a rocket siren in Jerusalem when one of her sources, an activist in the South Hebron Hills, called to report a settler attack in Susiya, in the occupied West Bank. At first, it seemed minor—such incidents are common—but the source later called back to say that one of those detained by the Israeli army was Hamdan Ballal, Oscar-winning co-director of the film No Other Land.
Frankel quickly began confirming the news with other sources and secured a phone interview with Ballal’s co-director, Basel Adra. Paired with user-generated video of the settler attack sent by Adra and other activists, Frankel was able to publish a named-source account of the event ahead of other outlets that night.
The next morning, Frankel and photographer Leo Correa traveled to the occupied West Bank, where they secured the first on-camera interview with Adra and visited the site of the settler attack. They also spoke with Ballal’s wife, who had witnessed the incident.
Thanks to a tip from the men’s lawyer, Frankel and Correa learned the men were being held at a police station in a nearby settlement. They traveled there and were the only international media present to witness their release.
The team was invited to follow the men to the hospital, where they filmed the first interview with Ballal as he limped out of the car. They later secured a longer bedside interview in which Ballal recounted his experience in Israeli custody.
The judges were impressed by AP’s authority and continued leadership throughout the development of this story, highlighting Frankel’s exceptional source work and beat expertise, paired with Correa’s speed and skill in delivering powerful visual journalism under pressure.
For breaking and leading on a story that resonated globally, Frankel and Correa are deserving recipients of this week’s Best of AP — Second Winner.
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