Controversy over Palestinian Author's Award at Frankfurt Book Fair Leads to Cancellation

The Frankfurt Book Fair cancelled an award ceremony for Palestinian author Adania Shibli's novel about the rape and murder of a Palestinian girl by Israeli soldiers in 1949.
A journalist on the award jury resigned over the decision to give Shibli the literature prize, prompting backlash.
The fair's director condemned Hamas's actions in the Israel-Hamas war and said more stage time will be given to Israeli voices.
Shibli and the German literary group Litprom jointly decided to cancel the award ceremony due to the controversy.
The cancellation came amid rising tensions over the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023.