Motivational Irish Author Sally Rooney turns down an Israeli translation In Support Of Palestinians.
Rooney, the best-selling Irish author, has turned down an offer from an Israeli publishing company to translate her recent novel into Hebrew due to her support for Palestinians “in their struggle for liberty, human rights, and equality.”
The Irish novelist Sally Rooney made a statement on Tuesday saying that she would not allow the Israeli publishing house that handled her previous novels to publish her most recent book, “Beautiful World, Where Are You,” because of her support for Palestinian people and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, a campaign that works to “end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law”.
She further said that she knew some would disagree with her decision:
“But I simply do not feel it would be right for me under the present circumstances to accept a new contract with an Israeli company that does not publicly distance itself from the apartheid and supports the U.N.-stipulated rights of the Palestinian people.”
While some people criticized her decision to ”not publish the book in Hebrew” Others have warmly welcomed Irish author Sally Rooney’s decision to refuse a deal with Modan Publishing House. Tribune magazine editor Ronan Burtenshaw wrote that the writer’s decision was “no surprise”, based on her previous assertions. “You can’t publish with Modan and respect the boycott. Simple as.”
Inspirational Irish writer is not the first author to refuse translation into Hebrew on political grounds. Alice Walker, the author of Pulitzer Prize-winning The Color Purple, refused to authorize a Hebrew translation of her novel in 2012 because of what she referred to as Israel’s “apartheid state”.
Earlier this year, Rooney also signed a letter in support of Palestinian artists and writers. It accused Israel of crimes against the Palestinian people.
Rooney said she was “very proud” her two hugely successful previous novels – Normal People, and, Conversations with Friends – were translated into Hebrew
She concluded her statement by saying that the Hebrew-language translation rights to her novel are still available and that if she can find a way to sell them and adhere to the B.D.S. movement’s guidelines, “I will be very pleased and proud to do so.”
