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IKAPI cancels participation in Frankfurt Book Fair over controversial Israel support
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Visitors are pictured at the Frankfurt Book Fair at the Messe fairground in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on Oct. 20, 2022. The postponement of a Palestinian author's award ceremony at the Frankfurt Book Fair due to the Israel-Hamas war has triggered condemnation from high-profile authors, while several Arab publishing groups have withdrawn from the fair.
(AFP/Daniel Roland)
T
he Indonesian Publishers Association (IKAPI) has announced the cancellation of its participation in the upcoming Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF), scheduled to take place from Oct. 18-22.
The decision came after FBF director Juergen Boss asserted the organizer’s position of supporting Israel and providing a platform for Israeli writers. The FBF also announced the cancellation of the award ceremony for the novel Minor Detail by Palestinian writer Adania Shibli.
In press release on its official website, IKAPI expressed its opposition to the FBF’s stance.
Arys Hilman, chairman of IKAPI, also emphasized that no Indonesian attributes or flags would be displayed at the book fair.
“The FBF has condemned what it refers to as ‘Hamas’ barbaric acts of terror against Israel’ and has announced plans to provide more opportunities for Israeli writers to express their views during the 2023 FBF,” Arys said on Sunday.
On the fair's first day, the FBF will collaborate with PEN Berlin under the title “Out of Concern for Israel.”
Boss further mentioned that additional events in solidarity with Israel were in the works.
“We will hold a panel discussion on the attacks on Israel with Meron Mendel, a representative of the Jewish community in Germany,” said Boss.
Shibli received the LiBeraturpreis award for Minor Detail, which explores the events of the 1949 war, a pivotal event in the Arab-Israel conflict.
Designated for “literature from the developing world," the LiBeraturpreis award is administered by Litprom, an organization funded by the German government and the FBF.
The FBF is an international book trade fair with a history spanning over 500 years. The annual event serves as a platform for publishers, rights agents and book distributors worldwide to conduct business, showcase their products and collaborate on literary ventures.
