Frankfurt: An award ceremony to honour Palestine-born novelist and essayist Adania Shibli, scheduled to take place at the Frankfurt Book Fair, has been postponed, citing the ongoing conflict in Israel. However, the decision is being criticized for silencing Palestinian voices.
The 2023 LiBeraturpreis, an esteemed award for female writers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the Arab world, was slated to Shibli for her work, "Minor Detail."
LitProm, the association responsible for the prize, declared the postponement of the award ceremony, citing the ongoing conflict in Israel. However, Shibli's literary agency contested this claim, asserting that the decision was made without the author's consent.
Reports suggest that Shibli expressed a desire to use the platform to reflect on the role of literature in such tumultuous times.
Over 350 authors, including Colm Tóibín, Hisham Matar, Kamila Shamsie, and William Dalrymple, signed an open letter admonishing the Frankfurt Book Fair organizers. The letter emphasized the fair's responsibility to provide spaces for Palestinian writers to share their perspectives amid the ongoing crisis rather than stifling their voices.
Shibli's novel, "Minor Detail," published in English in 2020, explores the impact of borders and violent conflicts on individuals. The narrative weaves together the true story of a 1949 rape and murder of a Bedouin girl by an Israeli army unit with a fictional account of a journalist investigating the crime in Ramallah decades later.
The novel has faced criticism in Germany, with journalist Ulrich Noller resigning from the LiBeraturpreis jury in protest over the decision to honour Shibli's work. A review in the left-leaning newspaper Taz accused the novel of portraying all Israelis as anonymous perpetrators, while Palestinians are depicted solely as victims of occupiers.
Amid the controversy, supporters argue that Shibli's detached literary style aligns with her portrayal of Israeli soldiers and cite favourable reviews that liken it to Albert Camus' "The Stranger."