His work was often reflective of the complicated identity of Iraqi Jews in Israel. After emigrating to Israel, Ballas continued to write in Arabic, his native language, in order to maintain a connection to his land of origin.[1] He first wrote in Hebrew in 1955, when he published an article in the Hebrew journal Kol ha'am under the pen name Adib al-Qas.[1] Alongside other Mizrahi Jewish authors in Israel, he participated in the 'Club of Friends of Arabic Literature in Israel'.[1] The debate on whether to use the Arabic language, the native language of most Mizrahi Jews who had emigrated to Israel and the language they had started their literary career with, or Hebrew, the language of the new state they resided in and the language that would reach a wider Israeli readership, was a constant question within the circles of Mizrahi Jewish writers Ballas partook in.[1]
His 2003 novel Tel Aviv Mizrah, written by reflects the dual identity of the Iraqi Jews.[1] On the one hand, Iraqi Jews hold a connection with their Iraqi origins and nostalgia for life in Iraq, which conflicts with their new Israeli identity, on the other hand.[1] The novel's protagonist, Yousef Shabi, expresses a strong emotional connection to Baghdad, his city of origin, while he is compelled to emigrate to Israel.[1] The relationship between these conflicting identities, as well as the alienation they provoke, are key themes Ballas explores within his novel.[1]
