RAMALLAH, Sunday, October 27, 2019 (WAFA) - British author and novelist of Pakistani origin, Kamila Shamsie, wrote to Minister of Culture Atef Abu Seif that "I do not need to say that Palestine and the Palestinian people have a special place in my heart."

In a letter of thanks to Abu Seif, who asserted in a letter of support to Shamsie after the cancellation of her German prize, Nelly Sachs, by the jury in Dortmund, claiming that the writer supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, that she did only what her conscience dictates.

Abu Seif condemned in the letter the position of the jury, which refused to give Shamsie the award because of her support for Palestine and the Palestinian cause, expressing the ministry‘s readiness to publish and translate some of the writer‘s work in recognition of the importance of her work.

Commenting on Shamsie‘s letter, Abu Saif said, "We highly appreciate the positions of Arab and foreign intellectuals and their support for the Palestinian cause because our conflict with the Israeli occupation is a humanitarian one because (the occupation) constitutes a flagrant attack on humanity and the values of civilization," stressing that writers are an important asset to the Palestinian cause.

It was announced earlier that Shamsie won the prize, which was organized and funded by the city of Dortmund, on September 10 before the organizers of the award issued a statement saying that the jury reversed the decision to honor Shamsie, and that the 2019 prize will not be awarded to any author and the next winner will be announced in 2021.

T.R.