Sally Rooney denies Israeli publisher rights for Hebrew translation of new book amid Palestine tension
‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’ was published in English in September
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sally Rooney has turned down a bid from Israeli publishing house Modan to publish a Hebrew translation of her latest book, Beautiful World, Where Are You.
Modan has previously published Hebrew versions of Rooney’s two other novels, Normal People and Conversations With Friends.
The English edition of Beautiful World, Where Are You was released in September and has topped the bestseller charts in the UK and Ireland.
An interview with Rooney originally published by The New York Times in September was translated into Hebrew by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which added further information relating to the novel’s prospective Hebrew translation.
The report also claimed that Rooney’s agent had told Modan that the request was declined due to Rooney’s support of the cultural boycott movement on Israel.
A spokesperson for the publisher confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that it would not be publishing Beautiful World, but did not confirm whether this was due to a boycott by the author.
Rooney has released a statement about the decision, confirming that she had denied Modan the rights in solidarity with Palestine, but would be “proud” to have the translated novel published in a way that was ‘compliant with the BDS movement’s institutional guidelines’
You can read her full statement here.
Several prominent figures from across the arts world have previously committed to a cultural boycott of Israel, in support of Palestine.
In May, 600 musicians, including Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, published an open letter asking fellow artists to refrain from performing in Israel until there is a “free Palestine”.
However, the notion of a blanket cultural boycott remains a controversial one, even among many critics of the Israeli state.