Hamdan Ballal: the Oscar winner of the Oscar speaks after the attack of the Israeli settlers in the West Bank
A Palestinian Director winner of the Oscar attacked in employed West Bank claims to have been retained during the night In prison of Israeli soldiers who derived his prize among the beatings.
Just three weeks ago, Hamdan Ballal was given an ecstatic applause when he accepted the Oscar for his film No other land.
Now he spoke of his ordeal started on Monday, when his head was “kicked like a kick” while he lay in the earth during an attack of settlers at his house in the occupied area.
Ballal was participating in a meeting for the end of the Daily Ramadan Fast near Hebron, when a Group of masked men attacked him.
“At that precise moment, I thought about my family, who was at home,” Ballal said The guardian. “I ran to them and told my wife,” close the house and keep the children inside. “They could have attacked me, but in doing so they would not have damaged my family. ”
“The soldiers pointed to me the rifles while the settler from behind began to beat me,” Ballal said.
“They Threw Me to the Ground, and the settler Started Hitting Me on the head. Then a Soldier Also Began Beating Me; with the Butt of His Rifle, He Struc Me on the head. After that, he fired His Weapon in the Air. I Don’t Undersand Hebrew, but I Gathered That Heid the Next Rifle Shot would hit me.
Ballal was dragged by an ambulance from the crowd, according to the co-regista Yuval Abraham.
Israeli soldiers therefore arrested him and two other Palestinians. Ballal said he was kept blindfolded for more than 20 hours, sitting on the floor under an explosive air conditioner.
The soldiers kicked, punched or hit with a stick every time they came to the guard shifts, he said. Ballal says he heard them say his name and the word “Oscar”.
The Israeli defense forces (IDF) have defined its “completely devoid” accusations.
The hospital doctors said Ballal had bruises and scratches all over his body, abrasions under his eyes and a cut on the chin but without internal injuries. Two other Palestinians prisoners had slight injuries.
His co-regista Yuval Abraham hit the Academy for not having protected his colleague or release a statement that abused violence against him.
He posted on X: “While Hamdan was clearly targeted for not having done another land (he recalled the soldiers who joked about the Oscar as they tortured him), he was also targeted to be Palestinians, like countless others every day that are ignored.
“This, apparently, gave the Academy an excuse to keep silent when a director who honored, living under Israeli employment, needed more.”
A spokesman for the IDF said he had examined the case and denied that the prisoners were beaten during the night.
“The IDF forces facilitated the medical treatment for the prisoners after the initial transfer of suspicions to the Israeli police and all night the prisoners remained in a military detention structure while handcuffed in accordance with the operating protocol,” they said.
“Yesterday morning, the three prisoners were transferred by the IDF to the Israel police for having questioned the suspicion of throwing rock, damage to the property and danger of regional security.
“Following their interrogation, the three were issued by the police in conditions that include a ban on contact with other people involved in the accident and personal deposit. During the accident, an Israeli civilian was injured and requested medical care. Investigations are underway and further arrests are expected.”
