Hamas prevents Arabic fiction award finalist from leaving Gaza
Palestian writer Atef Abu Saif has been nominated for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction but was stopped by security services from attending the announcement in Morocco.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — “A Suspended Life,” a novel by Gazan writer Atef Abu Saif, has made it to the finals for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. The news was announced during the Casablanca International Publishing and Book Fair on Feb. 13.
Despite the prominence of the cultural and literary products of the Gaza Strip, the security apparatus in Gaza does not seem to appreciate this richness. The Hamas-affiliated security services stopped Abu Saif at the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing Feb. 4, preventing him from making it to the book fair in Morocco.
Abu Saif wrote about it in an article titled “About Hamas and Culture” for the Palestinian Al-Ayyam newspaper.
“Last week, on my way to the West Bank heading to Morocco, I was surprised by Hamas-affiliated security forces preventing me from traveling. What happened is an unjustifiable act that cannot be explained or warranted on any ground,” he wrote.
