‘Palestinian struggle is not based on religious identity’

Shibli terms newly-proposed two-nation formula for Palestine conflict as an 'offensive joke'

HYDERABAD: The Palestinian struggle for freedom is not based on religious identity; rather, the nation has rooted its fight on a historical origin and a piece of land called 'Palestine.'

Palestinian novelist Adania Shibli expressed these viwes at a 'Meet the Author' interaction with civil society representatives at the Khanabadosh Writers Cafe in Hyderabad on Wednesday, where she juxtaposed the Palestinian freedom struggle with the Israeli occupation. Introducing the author, the cafe's Prof Amar Sindhu said that Shibli was leading a literary resistance for the cause of Palestine.

"Israel is a racist regime. The occupation of Palestine is a colonial project," said Shibli, adding the Palestinian struggle did not seek revenge for the atrocities meted out to them by the decades-long Israeli occupation.

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She termed the recent two-state solution, propounded by United States President Donald Trump and accepted by the Israeli government, as an 'offensive joke.'

"It is difficult to visit Palestine and it is even more difficult to meet and interact with the local writers," she said. "The Christians living in Palestine are also part of the freedom struggle; the vision is not limited to establishing a Muslim country in the region."

Shibli is the author of an award-winning novel, Touch. Her other significant works include Minor Detail, Keep Your Eye on the Wall and We Are All Equally Far From Love. "My novels, plays, short stories, and essays are not limited to the cause of Palestine but they encompass a range of society's issues," she stated.

She also spoke about the significance of the native language and explained how she feels while writing in the Arabic language.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2020.