Author Phil Klay Appointed New President of PEN America Amidst Internal Divisions

Award-winning author Phil Klay has been appointed the new president of PEN America, an organization dedicated to freedom of expression. His appointment comes during a period of significant internal disagreement within the organization concerning its stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

Klay succeeds Dinao Mengestu, who resigned in July. Mengestu's departure followed the publication of a PEN report detailing the "growing cultural isolation" experienced by numerous Jewish and Israeli writers after the October 7th attacks. Mengestu cited the report's perceived bias against Palestinians and questioned PEN's ability to effect change.

Internal tensions within PEN America escalated following the war's outbreak. Previously, some writers had criticized the organization for its response to the deaths of Palestinian authors and journalists, leading to the cancellation of the annual awards ceremony and the "World Voices" festival.

Klay, an Iraq War veteran and recipient of the National Book Award for his 2014 short story collection "Redeployment," has expressed support for PEN's research into the situation of Israeli and Jewish writers. However, he has also been critical of Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

His appointment aims to navigate these complex issues and lead PEN America through its current challenges.