Palestinian Prisoner Basim Khandaqji Wins Top Arabic Fiction Prize for Novel Written in Israeli Jail

Palestinian writer Basim Khandaqji has been named the winner of the prestigious 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his novel "A Mask, the Colour of the Sky." The announcement was made at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on April 28, with the $50,000 prize accepted on Khandaqji's behalf by the owner of his Lebanon-based publishing house, Dar al-Adab.

Khandaqji, 40, has been serving a 20-year sentence in an Israeli prison since 2004 when he was convicted on charges related to a deadly bombing in Tel Aviv. Despite his incarceration, Khandaqji completed his university education and has written several poetry collections and novels, all conceived and written while behind bars.

His prize-winning novel, chosen from 133 submissions, follows the life of Nur, a Palestinian archaeologist living in a refugee camp in Ramallah. In the story, Nur takes on the identity of an Israeli citizen in an attempt to understand life on the other side of the security fence. The book's multi-layered narrative examines complex themes of family fragmentation, displacement, genocide, and racism in modern-day Palestine.

Khandaqji wrote "A Mask, the Colour of the Sky" in prison in 2021, managing to pen about two pages each day between 5am and 7am. "Very often, the papers are taken from him and destroyed by the guard," his brother Yussef revealed, shedding light on the challenges Khandaqji faced in researching and crafting the novel while incarcerated.

The judging panel, chaired by Syrian writer Nabil Suleiman, praised Khandaqji's work for its innovative storytelling and fusion of personal and political elements. "The novel dissects a complex, bitter reality of family fragmentation, displacement, genocide, and racism," Suleiman said of the victorious book.

Why this matters: Khandaqji's victory marks a significant moment for Palestinian literature and highlights the resilience of artistic expression in the face of adversity. His achievement also draws attention to the plight of Palestinian prisoners and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Khandaqji is the third Palestinian author to win the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, which aims to reward excellence in contemporary Arabic literature and encourage wider readership of Arabic novels through translation. The award ceremony took place on the eve of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Khandaqji's brother expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating, "Basim's award is a victory for the Palestinian narrative in the face of an 'incitement campaign' by the Israeli media against his nomination."

Key Takeaways

• Palestinian writer Basim Khandaqji wins 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
• Khandaqji, imprisoned in Israel since 2004, wrote the award-winning novel in prison.
• The novel "A Mask, the Colour of the Sky" explores themes of displacement and racism.
• Khandaqji's victory marks a significant moment for Palestinian literature and prisoners.
• He is the third Palestinian author to win the prestigious Arabic fiction prize.