Beersheba Hebrew-Arabic Book Fair Canceled After Right-Wing Pressure Over Sally Rooney Publisher

A Hebrew-Arabic book fair planned for the House of Artists in Beersheba was canceled after pressure from right-wing activists, primarily because the Novemb​er publishing house, which issued Sally Rooney’s novel "Intermezzo," was set to take part. The cancellation was made by both the Beersheba municipality and the city’s House of Artists.

Right-wing activist Shai Glick welcomed the move, saying there is no place in Israel for any organization that, in his words, deliberately discriminates against citizens, including Ethiopian Israelis, Muslims, and residents of Judea and Samaria. He added, "The fair can take place in Ramallah or the European Union, not in the State of Israel."

The article notes that Rooney, the Irish novelist, is closely associated with public support for BDS and with harsh criticism of Israel’s policy toward Palestinian society. Her politics have also appeared in her fiction, including two characters in "Normal People" who join protests against Operation Protective Edge. In 2021, Rooney refused to sell Hebrew translation rights to "Beautiful World, Where Are You" to the Israeli publisher that had issued her earlier books, saying it was following Palestinian cultural boycott principles. She said she was not opposed in principle to a Hebrew translation and would welcome working with an Israeli publisher that "expresses support for the Palestinian people" as part of her commitment to "their struggle for freedom, justice and equality."

The Beersheba coexistence forum, together with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Novemb​er, demanded the city reverse the cancellation before legal action. They accused the municipality of yielding to right-wing pressure and harming freedom of expression, saying the fair was meant to give residents of the south and the Negev access to diverse literature that promotes shared life, tolerance and multiculturalism. They said they had sent a formal pre-litigation notice to the mayor and city legal adviser and warned they would ask a court to overturn the decision. The municipality declined to comment, while the House of Artists said the event was canceled because "people were afraid to gather."