Emirates Publishers Association pulls out of the Frankfurt Book Fair

The Emirates Publishers Association, which includes the Sharjah Book Authority, has pulled out of the Frankfurt Book Fair. It follows the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, as a result of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7th October. 

Trade bodies along with the The Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF), have condemned the Hamas attacks, and called for an end to hostilities in the region. Juergen Boos, director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, described it as a "barbaric terror war against Israel" and said FBF would give Israeli and Jewish voices additional time on its stages. However, this approach has led to accusations that the fair has taken a one-side approach to events. Also controversial has been a decision to cancel a prize ceremony at the fair for the Palestinian author Adania Shibli by its organiser Litprom, which is distinct from FBF although its president is Boos. 

Emirates Publishers Association did not pinpoint what prompted the pull-out beyond highlighting a FBF announcement. 

A statement released at the weekend by both the Emirates Publishers Association and Sharjah read: "Given the recent announcement by the organisers of the Frankfurt Book Fair, we have decided to withdraw our participation this year. SBA champions the role of culture and books to encourage dialogue and understanding between people.

"We believe that this role is more important now than ever. It is unfortunate that the events have folded this way as we firmly believe that an environment that fosters diversity and inclusivity is crucial for the literary community and for the success of any book fair."

The Bookseller has reached out to further understand the association’s concerns about FBF’s statement, and has also contacted FBF for a response. 

The awards ceremony for the Palestinian author Shibli due to take place at Frankfurt was cancelled by Litprom, the German literary association. It stated: "Due to the war started by Hamas, under which millions of people in Israel and Palestine are suffering, the organiser Litprom e.V. decided to not hold the award ceremony of the LiBeraturpreis at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Litprom is looking for a suitable format and setting for the event at a later point."

Commenting on the media reports about the awarding of the LiBeraturpreis to Shibli during the book fair, Boos said: “The LiBeraturpreis is a prize given each year by Litprom e.V. to women writers from the Global South. The recipient is chosen by an independent jury. Litprom is the organiser and solely responsible for awarding the prize. In light of the terror against Israel, Litprom is looking for a suitable format and setting for the event after the book fair.” 

Three hundred and fifty authors, including Colm Toibin, Hisham Matar, Kamila Shamsie and William Dalrymple, have signed an open letter accusing the Frankfurt Book Fair of "shutting down" Palestinian voices by cancelling the awards ceremony, saying it has "a responsibility to be creating spaces for Palestinian writers to share their thoughts, feelings, reflections on literature through these terrible, cruel times, not shutting them down."

Tensions also seem to have risen over FBF’s general approach to the events of the past week. Sharjah Book Authority chair Bodour Al Qasimi said in a separate comment, quoted by Publishers Weekly, that the decision to pull out from the fair was "due to the FBF’s choice to cancel the voice of an entire demographic by fully supporting Israel, which effectively leaves no space for dialogue and cultural exchange. In Sharjah, we firmly believe that book fairs should serve as platforms to foster dialogue and unite people, rather than driving them apart, especially at time of wars and conflict".

Al Qasimi, a former president of the International Publishers Association, is the founder of women’s empowerment organisation PublisHer, which has also withdrawn from FBF this year.

The National newspaper also reported that the Arab Publishers’ Association in Egypt, a non-profit organisation that represents more than 1,000 regional publishers, has withdrawn. In a letter addressed to Boos seen by the National, the association’s president Mohammad Rashad expressed regret “at the biased and unjust stance towards the tragic events in the region".

x.com/epa_publishers/status/1713072221759918198?s=20

Hamas—which is classed as a terrorist organisation by the British government—entered communities in Israel on Saturday 7th October, killing at least 1,200 people and taking dozens of hostages. In response Israel has bombed Gaza killing more than 2,000 people, with supplies of electricity, fuel and water cut off. It has also now told people in the north of the Gaza strip to evacuate the region, ahead of what commentators think will be a ground invasion.

The independent UK publisher Comma Press has raised concerns over the safety of authors and translators trapped in the Gaza Strip amid Israeli airstrikes. In a statement, Comma said it was "extremely concerned about the safety of several of its writers and translators trapped in Gaza today, some living there, some visiting family". Among these is translator Mohamed Ghalayini, who has worked with Comma on various titles. 

A number of Israeli publishers and agents told The Bookseller earlier this week of their own trauma from the weekend’s events. Benjamin Trivaks, chairman of The Book Publishers Association Of Israel, told The Bookseller: “In light of the war in Israel, as far as I know all the Israeli publishers and agents who had planned to attend Frankfurt will be cancelling.” Agent Deborah Harris, based in Jerusalem, said: "We are burying our dead, mourning our losses, families going out of their minds as they wait to hear the fate of their loved ones."