Israel cancels Palestinian prisoner's book launch

Israel’s Interior Minister Arye Dery has intervened to ban the town of Baka Al-Gharbiya from hosting a Palestinian prisoner’s book launch in municipal facilities, reported Haaretz.

According to the paper, the city had planned to launch a children’s book penned by Walid Daka, who was convicted by military tribunal in 1986 of membership in a cell that killed an Israeli soldier.

Mayor Mursi Abu Moch was supposed to speak at the event, which had been scheduled to be held in Baka Al-Gharbiya’s community centre, “in addition to other social activists such as Fahima Ghanayim, philosophy lecturer Anat Matar and attorney Omer Kemaisi”.

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However, following appeals by the deceased soldier’s family, as well as right-wing activists, Dery informed the mayor that he was banned from hosting the event.

“In the State of Israel we won’t permit a pulpit for toasting the writings of a terrorist at a public building that belongs to the [public] council,” he declared.

Organisers have moved the event to a private wedding hall venue, where it will be held today.

Haaretz notes that “to this day Daka denies any involvement in the murder and has asked for a retrial to prove his innocence. His request has not been granted”.

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Baka Al-Gharbiya’s city hall said in response that it has “adopted the motto of being a city of tolerance. We believe in coexistence based on the values of equality and respect among all Israeli population groups.”

It said that Daka’s book had been approved by Israel’s Prisons Services Authority before publication. “This is a cultural event organised by Walid Daka’s family… we have read the book and its contents are humane, contain no hatred or hostility or any illegal motifs,” city hall added.