Best-selling and award-winning Irish novelist Sally Rooney has decided not to publish her new novel in Hebrew, saying she is supporting the cultural boycott of Israel, Israeli media reported.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Rooney explained her decision, writing that she has “chosen not to sell these translation rights to an Israeli-based publishing house”.
Sally Rooney full statement pic.twitter.com/i92ZkTVN4i
— Ben White (@benabyad) October 12, 2021
Modan Publishing House, which has published two books for Rooney, has told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that Rooney won’t allow her new book to be published in Hebrew because she supports cultural boycott of Israel.
Rooney, 30, has been open about her opposition to Israel, the newspaper said, pointing out that she was one thousands of artists to sign a letter in July accusing Israel of apartheid and calling for its international isolation following its May offensive on Gaza.
Brava Sally Rooney!
Modan is one of Israel's largest publishing companies and collaborates with the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Cultural production is not separate from the political systems of apartheid and it is therefore a worthy target of boycott.
https://t.co/fTpAePXSZJ— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) October 12, 2021
Rooney’s new novel ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You?’ explores the life and romance of intellectual, urbane millennials and topped the New York Times bestseller list when it was published in September.
(The Palestine Chronicle, MEMO, Social Media)
