Palestinian novelist imprisoned for terrorism is shortlisted for prestigious literary award
The scene of a Palestinian suicide bombing at Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, Nov. 1, 2004. Basim Khandaji, who has just been nominated for a prestigious literary award, was sentenced to life in prison in Israel for his role in planning and carrying out the deadly attack. Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
By Beth Harpaz February 27, 2024
A novel written by a Palestinian man imprisoned in Israel for terrorism has been nominated for a prestigious literary award known as the Arab world’s Booker Prize.
Basim Khandaji’s book, A Mask, the Colour of the Sky, is shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
The prize, awarded since 2008, is funded by Abu Dhabi’s Culture and Tourism Ministry and administered by the London foundation that runs the Booker Prizes, among the most coveted literary honors in the world.
Khandaji’s nomination comes with a $10,000 award, and winning the prize would bring another $50,000. Israeli prison officials told KAN, the Israeli Public Broadcasting service, that “it would be impossible” for Khandaji to receive the money.
Khandaji, born in Nablus, was arrested in 2004 at age 21 and sentenced to life in prison for his role in planning and taking part in a terror attack at Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market that killed three people and injured 53.
Khandaji completed a university degree while in prison from Al-Quds University, a public Palestinian university in Jerusalem. He has published a half-dozen books while in prison, including several volumes of poetry and two novels in addition to A Mask, the Colour of the Sky.
The nominated book tells the story of an archaeologist named Nur who lives in a refugee camp in Ramallah and finds an Israeli identity card. He uses the card to assume a Jewish identity under the name Ur, then joins an archaeological dig, and, as the prize nomination description puts it, attempts “to understand the Zionist mentality.”
Khandaji’s book is one of six nominated for the prize. The winner will be announced April 28 in Abu Dhabi.
His brother Youssef said in an interview with Arab News that there had been “no means of communicating with him for the past four months. We hope and pray that he will be released as soon as possible.”
A deal between Israel and Hamas is reportedly being negotiated that would entail a 40-day truce in Israel’s war on Gaza for Ramadan, along with the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Exactly who would be let go by either side has not been disclosed, though 10 prisoners would likely be released for every hostage.
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