A coalition of nearly 400 authors, including well-known writers Sally Rooney and Arundhati Roy, is urging a boycott of Israeli cultural institutions in protest of what they describe as the “complicity” of these institutions in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In an open letter organized by the Palestine Festival of Literature, the authors argue that Israeli publishers, literary festivals, and agencies that have not publicly condemned the war are “complicit in genocide.”
The letter, yet to be officially released, claims that “genocide … is the biggest war on children this century” and criticizes the role of cultural institutions in allegedly normalizing injustices faced by Palestinians. The letter accuses Israeli cultural bodies of collaborating with the state to “obfuscate, disguise, and art-wash” the oppression and displacement of Palestinians, urging a reevaluation of their engagement with Israeli institutions.
"We cannot in good conscience engage with Israeli institutions without interrogating their relationship to apartheid and displacement," the authors wrote. They call for disengagement from Israeli publishers, literary festivals, agencies, and other cultural bodies that they say “violate Palestinian rights.”
This boycott initiative is also backed by the activist group Fossil Free Books, which previously urged literary festivals to sever ties with controversial sponsors over this issue. Additional support has come from several Booker Prize nominees, with the full list of signatories expected to be released next week.
The boycott movement has drawn criticism from within the literary community. Lee Child, author of the “Jack Reacher” series, voiced concern, saying writers should not alienate "the very people whose hearts are still in the right place," referencing Israeli supporters of peace. “They are firm allies in the struggle for an equitable outcome,” Child noted, emphasizing the need for building bridges rather than boycotts, which he characterized as “nuts.”
Former Transworld Books publishing head Larry Finlay echoed this sentiment, warning that the boycott’s impact would likely harm Israelis who are left-leaning and anti-Netanyahu. He suggested the initiative was “born out of hatred and antisemitism,” rather than a constructive approach to peace
