In an incomprehensible move that met with widespread condemnation and indignation, the Frankfurt International Book Fair announced the cancellation of the ceremony honoring the Palestinian writer adnia Shibli, which was scheduled for next Friday, the twentieth of October.

edited by |Jus Mcmahon

Culture section -  CJ journalist

Frankfurt - October,14,2023 

Author adania Shibli was supposed to receive the liberatorliberaturpreis award for her novel (secondary detail), a novel that was highly praised by critics, while some criticized her for allegedly using anti-Semitic cliches.

A secondary detail novel released in 2017 and translated into many languages, including German and English, and nominated for the international poker award in 2021, the novel deals with the story of a Palestinian girl who is raped and then killed by an Israeli Battalion after the Nakba in 1948.

The director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, Juergen boss, said:"in light of the terrorist attack on Israel, the award-awarding Association litprom will be looking for a suitable venue for this event sometime after the book fair.

He added that the exhibition intends to "make Jewish and Israeli voices particularly visible at the Frankfurt Book Fair .

This move was widely denounced on social media and by many writers and intellectuals .

Sharjah Book Authority and the UAE Publishers Association announced the withdrawal of their participation from the Frankfurt Book Fair in response to the exhibition's announcement of its support for Israel and the cancellation of honoring a Palestinian writer

The Sharjah Book Authority issued a statement saying: due to the statement of the director of the Frankfurt International Book Fair in support of Israel and the withdrawal of the Exhibition Management Award for Palestinian writer adnia Shibli, the Sharjah Book Authority decides to withdraw its participation this year from the Frankfurt Book Fair, calling to highlight the role of culture and books in encouraging dialogue and understanding between people .