Kamila Shamsie gives up German prize after concerns rise over her BDS stance

Pakistan’s celebrated writer Kamila Shamsie after being announced the winner of Germany’s Nelly Sachs Prize is having her win reviewed over her support of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

The organizers of the German literary award decided to review the decision to honour the acclaimed novelist with $16,500 in prize money over her reiterated support for the anti-Israel movement, which they termed to be ‘anti-Semitic.’

The concerns had come afloat after the ‘Kartography’ writer had earlier on Wednesday turned down an offer to get one of her works published in Israel, as she expressed her endorsement of the pro-Palestine movement.

As per a report by Spiegel magazine, the author herself had backed out and urged the committee to nominate someone else for the award, after her endorsement became a concern for the organizers. 

The committee, as per the report, is expected to make an announcement pertaining to the matter soon.

The prize named after the Jewish Nobel Prize laureate and poet Nelly Sachs honours writers that embody ‘tolerance, respect, and reconciliation’ with the German Federal Parliament also declaring last year that any support for the BDS movement would be considered ‘anti-Semitic’.