“An intricate issue”: Censorship of Arabic language prose and poetry in Israel

Following a communication sent to the Prime Minister’s Office from the Hebrew Writers Association with respect to the prosecution of Druze poet Samih al-Qasim, the Arab Affairs Advisor sent some clarifications to the PMO. In the letter, the advisor explains that books and poems are censored when they are found to constitute “incitement or a threat to national security.” The advisor further notes that the poem in question was subjected to restrictions under the Defense (Emergency) Regulations and that two meetings have been scheduled to discuss the poet’s prosecution and the broader question of censoring prose and poetry. The advisor, Shmuel Toledano, encloses excerpts from censored poems written by al-Qasim and others which had been mentioned in the letter.

In a letter to the PMO Bureau Chief, the Arab Affairs Advisor describes the decisions reached in the two meetings held to discuss censorship of Palestinian writers who are Israeli citizens. One meeting was held at the office of the Minister of Police to discuss the prosecution of poet Samih al-Qasim. The other was a meeting of the Central Security Committee in which the broader issue of censoring prose and poetry was discussed. In the latter, members of the General Security Service (Shin Bet), the Arab Affairs Advisor’s Office and the military voiced objections to canceling censorship. The Minister of Defense said he had to study the issue before taking a position.

In this letter, the Hebrew Writers Association in Israel informs Prime Minister Golda Meir of the position taken by its central committee against censoring prose and poetry. The committee notes it objects to employing censorship regulations against literary works, even if they espouse disturbing positions. The letter asks the Prime Minister to take measures to ensure freedom of expression in Israel.

In a letter to the Minister of Justice written after she received the Hebrew Writers Association’s request to refrain from using censorship against Palestinian writers who are citizens of Israel, Prime Minster Golda Meir confesses this is “an intricate issue” on which different governmental authorities have divergent positions. She, therefore, asks the Minister of Justice to study the matter and make recommendations on how to tackle it.