Sally Rooney’s novel, Intermezzo will appear soon in Hebrew. In line with BDS

JVL Introduction

Five years ago in an act of solidarity that brought down a torrent of abuse from Zionists and their supporters, acclaimed Irish author Sally Rooney refused to allow her novels to be published in Israel if they broke the call for cultural boycott.

We reported on her action at the time here.

Haggai Mattar explains why +972 Magazine, together with Local Call, decided to take up the challenge of making her acclaimed novel Intermezzo available in support of, rather than in breach of, the call for BDS.

It will be available soon!

RK

We’re publishing Sally Rooney in Hebrew, in line with BDS. Here’s how and why

Haggai Matar, Executive Director of +972 Magazine, 19th May 2026

Five years ago, acclaimed Irish author Sally Rooney declared her support for the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and refused to sell the translation rights for her third novel to Israeli publishers. She noted that she would be “pleased and proud” to have her work available in Hebrew, but only in a way that respected the principles of the cultural boycott — which no publisher was willing to do.

+972 Magazine, together with Local Call, decided to take up the challenge. To accomplish that, we teamed up with the independent Israeli publishing house November Books — the only one recognized by Palestinian advocacy groups as having met the requirements set by the BDS movement — and publishing professionals, including the Palestine Festival of Literature and the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI).

Today, we are thrilled to announce that we will be co-publishing the Hebrew translation of Rooney’s bestselling latest novel, Intermezzo, translated by Debbie Eylon. Pre-orders have begun, and you can purchase the novel here (currently available to readers in Israel-Palestine, excluding West Bank settlements).

The Israeli public and media have often mischaracterized the BDS movement as inherently discriminatory or antisemitic. This project completely upends that false narrative; as the movement stresses, the cultural boycott targets complicity, not identity.

The BDS movement has articulated three basic demands, rooted in international law and UN resolutions: an end to the Israeli occupation of territories captured in 1967, full civil equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel, and the implementation of the Palestinian right of return. Israeli groups that accept these three principles — and additionally, do not conduct business in West Bank settlements nor receive funding from Israeli state bodies — are exempt from the boycott.

Following five years of deep, rigorous dialogue between the author, literary agents, Israeli publishers, and Palestinian activists, we have proven that ethical, solidarity-driven publishing is possible.

“Publishing books by authors who endorse the BDS movement
demonstrates to Israeli readers
that opposition to occupation, apartheid, and genocide
is what lies at the heart of the boycott
— a clearly legitimate form of nonviolent political protest.”
Dr. Ishai Menuchin, Director of November Books

It is a privilege to be part of this publishing initiative that helps draw Israelis’ attention to the real demands of the BDS movement and of the Palestinian people. Instead of demonizing nonviolent activism, we must listen to people like Sally Rooney and transform growing international support for the boycott into meaningful action against genocide and apartheid — the only way to guarantee a more just future for both peoples. And along the way, Israelis can gain access to wonderful books like Intermezzo.

Pre-order your copy of Intermezzo here now.