Malaysia’s education ministry has withdrawn from participating in this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, accusing the organisers of taking a pro-Israel stance, amid growing global divisions over the ongoing conflict between Israeli and Palestinian forces.
The move by Malaysia to pull out of what is considered the world’s largest trade fair for books came after literary association Litprom said it would postpone an award ceremony for a novel by a Palestinian author at the event following the deadly Oct. 7 attack by militant group Hamas in Israel.
The fair’s organiser also said on Facebook it would be making Jewish and Israeli voices “especially visible” at this year’s edition.
