An Islamic cultural organization is urging its 50 member states to boycott the annual international book fair in Paris because the fair is honouring Israeli literature.
The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced late Friday that it wanted its members to boycott the event, taking place March 14 to 19.
The fair is inviting 39 writers from Israel, including David Grossman, Amos Oz, A. B. Yehoshua and Aharon Appelfeld.
"I'm very surprised by how political this is getting. It was not at all our goal, which was to invite Israeli literature, not the state of Israel," said Serge Eyrolles, the fair's organizer.
Eyrolles said the fair's role is to celebrate books and not take sides in international politics. Every year, the fair focuses on a country.
The Islamic organization said its boycott call was a "response to the special standing [the fair] gives to Israel despite its atrocities, oppression and imposed starvation and siege against the Palestinian people."
It also accused the fair of commemorating the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state (Israel was founded in 1948).
Eyrolles denied this, pointing out that Israel has asked to be featured for five years in a row but there was a waiting list. As well, many of the Israeli writers being honoured are supporters of Palestinian statehood.
India was the flavour of the fair last year and its spotlight was publicized — by the French foreign affairs department — as a way of honouring the 60th anniversary of that country's independence.
Arab, Muslim writers associations bend to boycott call
Despite the fair's efforts, both Lebanon and Iran have said they will boycott the event and several Arab and Muslim writers associations have said they will not attend.
Eyrolles said publishing representatives from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria have cancelled their stands at the fair; however, some writers, publishers and booksellers from those countries are still planning to attend.
Meanwhile, the same issue is brewing at Turin's book fair in May, where Israeli writers are also being highlighted.
Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan, who supports the two boycotts, has written on his blog that "all women and men of conscience, a category by no means restricted to Palestinians or Arabs" should protest because "the guest of honour is a country that refuses to respect the rights and the dignity of peoples."
Ramadan, a senior research fellow at St. Antony's College, Oxford University, has pointed out that Turin had initially planned to focus on Egypt but organizers changed their mind and switched to Israel because of the state's 60th anniversary.
He also contends the boycotts are not attempts to "prevent Israeli authors from attending or expressing themselves. It does not refuse to engage them in debate."
Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun, in his blog, begged to differ.
"Criticize the policies of a state. Criticize a novel on its literary merit. That's possible, but don't mix up the two things and create even an even bigger lack of understanding."
The book fair, also known as the Salon du Livre, is considered a key literary showcase. It brings together publishers, booksellers, teachers, librarians and avid readers from around the world.