DEWAN Bahasa dan Pustaka has decided not to participate in the Frankfurt Book Fair 2023 this month.

In a Facebook post, the local publisher said the decision was in line with the government’s position on the conflict in Palestine.

“This decision was made following the government’s stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and we decided to withdraw from participating in the Frankfurt Book Fair 2023,” it said in the statement.

The statement came after the Education Ministry (MOE) said it had withdrawn from the book fair.

The ministry, in a statement, said the decision was made because the organiser had openly expressed support for Israel, and the withdrawal was aligned with the government’s decision to show solidarity and support towards Palestine.

“The MOE will not compromise with the aggression by Israel in Palestine. It is a violation of International laws and human rights,” it said in the statement.

The call comes in the wake of a war that erupted on October 7 between Israel and Hamas, the governing authority in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory of Gaza. – October 17, 2023.