‘I feel they were going to kill me’: Hamdan Ballal recounts attack by Israeli soldiers and settler
The Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary, No Other Land, has spoken to Al Jazeera about the abuse he suffered at the hands of Israeli settlers and soldiers prior to his arrest on Monday.
Ballal said he went to film a settler attack on his neighbour’s home in the village of Susiya in the occupied West Bank, but returned home to his family when he saw things “become more and more dangerous”.
But a settler known to him and two soldiers followed him down to his house.
The attack took place outside his home.
“They hold the gun directly to me, the soldiers… the settler went behind me and directly attacking me with his hands. I don’t know what he held in his hands,” Ballal recounted.
He fell to the ground, and the attack continued.
“The soldiers keep on shouting at me, threatening me, and putting the gun, one time at my neck… they also put the gun on my cheek,” he said.
Ballal said he thought the soldiers and the settler would kill him.
“After October 7, the army let the settlers do what they want. Because the army here, they are settlers with uniforms,” he said.
“The soldiers let him [the settler] beat me and the soldiers also beat me with a gun, I feel – because it was a hard, hard attack. They focus on my head, they kicked my head, and also with a gun. I feel they were going to kill me. Not just to punish me… I feel I would die.”
Existing User Log In
New User Registration
Register for a free account to gain full access to the VGChartz Network and join our thriving community.
