LITERARY personalities and publishers are protesting over the cancellation of a prize-giving ceremony at the Frankfurt Book Fair for Palestine author Adania Shibli.

Shibli was to have been honoured by German literary group LitProm on Friday at the fair for her book “A Minor Detail,” which is based on the real events of a 1949 rape and murder by Israeli soldiers. However, the work has faced criticism for what some said are anti-Semitic and anti-Israel themes. 

The novelist was to have been awarded the annual prize, which is given to female writers from Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Arab world.

In a letter published yesterday by the LA Times, more than 1,000 writers and publishers condemned the fair organiser’s decision to cancel the award ceremony.

The letter also asked that the fair — which opens tomorrow Wednesday until Sunday — reinstate the events surrounding Shibli.

The signatories include Nobel Prize laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah, Annie Ernaux, and Olga Tokarczuk; Booker Prize winners Anne Enright, Richard Flanagan and Ian McEwan; and 2021 Litprom prize Pilar Quintana winner Madeleine Thien. 

Litprom posted on its website that it had decided to postpone the award event because of the Israel-Hamas war. 

“Litprom is looking for a suitable format and setting for the event at a later point. Awarding the prize to Adania Shibli was never in question.

“Litprom firmly rejects the accusations and defamations made against the author and the novel in parts of the press as unfounded,” it said.

Malaysian author Faizal Tehrani posted on X: “I stand with Adania Shibli, one that I am glad to call her my dear friend – Faisal Tehrani, small writer from Malaysia.”

Malaysia’s Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka is boycotting the fair after its organiser expressed support for Israel. – October 17, 2023.