World
Sally Rooney blocks Hebrew translation over ‘Israel’s system of racial domination’
The Irish author reaffirms her support for the cultural boycott of Israel
October 12, 2021 12:03
The Irish author reaffirms her support for the cultural boycott of Israel
October 12, 2021 12:03
Sally Rooney has blocked an Israeli publisher from releasing her latest novel in Hebrew to protest “Israel’s system of racial domination and segregation against Palestinians”.
The acclaimed Irish author will not allow Modan Publishing House - who released the Hebrew editions of her first two books - to publish ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported.
In a statement seen by The Guardian, Ms Rooney said that while she was “very proud” to have had previous work published in Hebrew, she had “chosen not to sell these translation rights to an Israeli-based publishing house” that does not “publicly distance itself from apartheid and support the UN-stipulated rights of the Palestinian people”.
The statement further expressed her support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to isolate Israel from the international community.
“Earlier this year, the international campaign group Human Rights Watch published a report entitled A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution,” the 30-year-old author said.
“That report, coming on the heels of a similarly damning report by Israel’s most prominent human rights organization B’Tselem, confirmed what Palestinian human rights groups have long been saying: Israel’s system of racial domination and segregation against Palestinians meets the definition of apartheid under international law.
“Of course, many states other than Israel are guilty of grievous human rights abuses. This was also true of South Africa during the campaign against apartheid there. In this particular case, I am responding to the call from Palestinian civil society, including all major Palestinian trade unions and writers’ unions.”
On social media, some in support of the cultural boycott of Israel have defended the move, alleging that Modan is a subsidiary of the Israeli Defense Forces. However, while Modan has published material produced by Israel’s Ministry of Defense, according to information on their website it is a private company founded in 1970.
The novel, released last month in Britain, received critical acclaim and became a bestseller on Amazon on the day it was released.
The Irish novelist, who identifies as a Marxist, often features politically engaged characters in her work. In her earlier novel ‘Normal People’ the protagonists attend a protest against Israel during the 2014 Gaza War.
In 2019, Ms Rooney signed an open letter published in the London Review of Books defending the right of authors to boycott Israel.
Quoting writer Kamila Shamsie, the letter said BDS “campaigns against the government of Israel for its acts of discrimination and brutality”. The JC has contacted Ms Rooney’s agent for comment.