Profile acquires Raja Shehadeh's new book about Palestine and Israel

Profile Books has acquired the new book by 2023 National Book Award finalist and human rights campaigner Raja Shehadeh, What Does Israel Fear from Palestine?. 

Profile founder director Andrew Franklin bought world rights from Jenny Brown at Jenny Brown Associates, and the title will be released in June 2024. US rights have been sold to Other Press. 

In the book, Shehadeh examines how since the formation of the state of Israel in 1948, "the Nakba (or ‘catastrophe’ as the Palestinians call it), there have been many opportunities to move towards peace and equality between Palestine and Israel – but each has been rejected by Israel". What Does Israel Fear from Palestine? explores "what went wrong again and again, and why – and how it could still be different".

Shehadeh is a writer, lawyer, and the founder of the Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq. His titles previously published by Profile include the Orwell Prize-winning Palestinian Walks and We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I.The latter was also published by Other Press and was a finalist at last year’s National Book Awards and was one of National Public Radio’s Best Books of 2023.

Shehadeh said: "I’ve spent many years living and following the progress of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In this long essay I begin with the question: why does Israel fear peace with the Palestinians? Why was it not inspired by the example of the end of apartheid that brought peace to South Africa and enabled the different races to live together?

"I go through the impediments and fears to this happening in Israel/Palestine and then discuss whether Israel can survive without making peace with the Palestinians. After discussing the effect of the Gaza war on Palestinians and Israelis and how the war brought the Israelis together I ask what role has the war played, if any, in bringing about the beginning of a shift globally and the effect this might have on the future of Israel?"

Franklin added: "Raja is the most incisive and courageous of writers. He could so easily have left the Occupied West Bank where he lives under very difficult conditions, but he has dedicated his life to writing about the agonies of the occupation – and now this tragic and terrible war.  This is a short book and absolutely everyone – whatever their politics – should read it."