Hundreds of artists and writers, including Normal People author Sally Rooney, have signed an open letter calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza – and criticising what it calls Israel’s current and previous “crimes against humanity”.
In their letter, the writers state they are “speaking out to demand an end to the violence and destruction in Palestine”, adding “the deliberate killing of civilians is always an atrocity”.
They warn the scenes unfolding in Gaza are “a violation of international law” and “an outrage against the sanctity of human life” as they call for the “unprecedented and indiscriminate violence” to be brought to an end.
They go on to say that Israel’s decision to cut off vital electricity, food and water supplies, the forced displacement of Gazans and continual airstrikes against civilians show “the state of Israel is committing grave crimes against humanity”.
The letter adds: “Its allies, our own governments, are complicit in these crimes.”
The writers also call for an end to all arms shipments and military funding which “only exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe at hand”.
In 2021, Irish novelist Sally Rooney refused an Israeli publishing house’s bid to translate her new novel into Hebrew as she pledged “solidarity with the Palestinian people”.