Arab-Hebrew Writers Forum

Arab-Hebrew Writers Forum
Name	Arab-Hebrew Writers Forum
Formation	1990s
Headquarters	Jerusalem
Type	Cultural forum

Arab-Hebrew Writers Forum

The Arab-Hebrew Writers Forum was a cross-cultural literary initiative that convened Arabic-language and Hebrew-language authors, poets, and translators in Israel and the Palestinian territories to promote literary exchange and bilingual creativity. It engaged figures from diverse backgrounds associated with institutions such as Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Birzeit University, Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, and cultural centers like the Mann Auditorium and the Shalom Hartman Institute. Participants included individuals connected to literary prizes and events like the Israel Prize, the Sakharov Prize, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Jerusalem International Book Forum, and festivals such as the Jerusalem Film Festival and the Haifa International Film Festival.

History

The Forum emerged against a backdrop shaped by events including the First Intifada, the Oslo Accords, the Camp David Summit (2000), and shifting policies in the Knesset, reflecting debates visible in institutions like the Palestinian National Authority, Likud, Labor Party, and civic groups such as B’Tselem, Gisha, and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. Early meetings referenced locations tied to cultural memory like Acre, Jaffa, Nazareth, Ramallah, Jerusalem and drew participants from networks linked to publishers such as Keter Publishing House, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, Am Oved, and Catholic Relief Services literary programs. Influences cited ranged from authors associated with Sayed Kashua, Amos Oz, Emile Habibi, Etgar Keret, Ghassan Kanafani, David Grossman, Mordecai Richler, to translators active in circles around Natan Zach and A. B. Yehoshua.

Founding and Mission

Founders included poets and novelists with ties to Israeli Writers Association, PLO cultural committees, and university departments at Bar-Ilan University and University of Haifa. The stated mission drew on comparative models such as the Arab Writers Union, the Hebrew Writers Association in Israel, the Palestine Academy for Science and Technology, and international examples like the PEN International and the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. The Forum aimed to facilitate exchanges among people connected to award circuits including the Man Booker International Prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation of Support to Human Rights Defenders, and the Yad Vashem cultural milieu.

Membership and Participation

Membership encompassed established and emerging writers affiliated with entities such as Al-Quds University, University of Oxford, Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and cultural NGOs like The Abraham Fund Initiative and Molad. Notable participating names included poets and novelists associated with Mahmoud Darwish, Fadwa Tuqan, Leah Goldberg, Rachel Bluwstein, Hanna Mina, A. B. Yehoshua alumni networks, literary translators tied to Gideon Levy’s circles, and journalists from outlets such as Haaretz, Al-Quds, The Jerusalem Post, Al-Jazeera, and CNN. Workshops attracted fellows from programs linked to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Fulbright Program, and residencies at institutions like The MacDowell Colony and Villa Medici.

Activities and Programs

The Forum organized bilingual readings, translation workshops, roundtables, and residencies held at venues including Mishkenot Sha'ananim, the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Al-Midan Theatre, and the Ticho House. It ran programs comparable to those of the British Council, the Goethe-Institut, and Alliance Française, and partnered with libraries such as National Library of Israel and municipal libraries in Bethlehem and Haifa. Public events engaged ministries and councils like the Ministry of Culture and Sport (Israel), municipal cultural offices of Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality and Jerusalem Municipality, and international cultural diplomacy actors tied to European Union delegations and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Publications and Collaborations

The Forum produced bilingual anthologies, collaborative chapbooks, and translated volumes with publishers comparable to Faber and Faber, Penguin Random House, and regional presses such as Dar Al-Adab, Al-Seraj, Sifriat Poalim, and academic presses at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Collaborations extended to journals and magazines like Granta, The Paris Review, Al-Ahram Weekly, Hasifrut, Iton 77, and university presses at Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. Collections included essays referencing theoretical frameworks circulated at conferences hosted by The Van Leer Institute and curriculum-affiliated symposia at Hebrew University International School.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics invoked fault-lines tied to incidents such as protests resembling those around the BDS campaigns, debates in the Knesset over cultural funding, and disputes paralleling controversies around the Nakba Law. Accusations centered on issues of representation raised by commentators from Haaretz, Al-Monitor, The New York Times, and academics from Tel Aviv University and Birzeit University, alleging unequal access tied to funding sources connected to municipalities and foreign embassies including delegations from the United States Department of State and the European Commission. Internal debates echoed broader disagreements visible in forums with the Israel Festival and NGOs such as Breaking the Silence and Peace Now.

Impact and Legacy

The Forum influenced bilingual literary practice, contributing to careers recognized by awards like the ACLALS Prize, the Caine Prize, and national honors including the Israel Prize and regional recognitions administered by bodies like the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization. Its legacy persisted through alumni who joined faculties at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and arts organizations such as Mifal HaPais and the Israeli Opera, and through ongoing projects allied with the United Nations cultural programs and municipal initiatives in Ramallah, Nazareth, Acre, and Haifa.

Category:Literary societies Category:Cultural exchange organizations