Zadie Smith among 380 writers denouncing Gaza ‘genocide’

According to The New Arab, a coalition of nearly 380 authors from the UK and Ireland — including literary heavyweights such as Zadie Smith and Ian McEwan — have signed an open letter denouncing what they describe as Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza and calling for an urgent ceasefire.

The letter, published on 28th May on the Medium platform, delivers a scathing indictment of the international community’s response to the war and demands urgent action to halt the violence.

It calls on “our nations and the peoples of the world to join us in ending our collective silence and inaction in the face of horror,” the signatories wrote.

“The use of the words ‘genocide’ or ‘acts of genocide’ to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organisations,” the letter continues.

While Israel has categorically denied all accusations of genocide, it is currently defending itself against such allegations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The proceedings stem from claims that its military actions in the Gaza Strip may violate international conventions on genocide.

This collective literary statement follows a similar move a day earlier by 300 Francophone writers — including Nobel Laureates Annie Ernaux and Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio — who also condemned Israel’s actions as “genocide.”

“Palestinians are not the abstract victims of an abstract war. Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible,” the British and Irish writers declared.

Among the signatories are novelist Elif Shafak and playwright Hanif Kureishi, as well as PEN branches in Scotland and Wales. The letter calls for an immediate ceasefire, the “immediate distribution of food and medical aid” in Gaza, and the imposition of sanctions on Israel.

The call comes amid escalating global criticism over Israel’s ongoing military campaign and blockade of humanitarian assistance. Following the collapse of a ceasefire in March, Israeli forces have intensified their strikes and ground operations in Gaza.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, 54,084 people — the majority of them civilians — have been killed since Israel launched its offensive in October 2023.

“This is not only about our common humanity and all human rights; this is about our moral fitness as the writers of our time,” the statement added.

The writers’ intervention comes on the heels of another forceful letter released Monday by over 800 UK-based legal professionals, including former justices of the Supreme Court. Addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the letter warns: “Genocide is being perpetrated in Gaza or, at a minimum, there is a serious risk of genocide occurring.”

“Serious violations of international law are being committed and are further threatened by Israel,” the lawyers wrote, asserting that the UK is “legally obliged to take all reasonable steps within their power to prevent and punish genocide.”

As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens and international scrutiny intensifies, this collective outcry from legal and literary communities underscores growing demands for immediate action and accountability.

The New Arab/ Maghrebi.org