The author and human rights activist on losing Palestine
For the first time in more than nine months, Raja Shehadeh was a long way from home. When I sat down with the 73-year-old Palestinian author and human rights lawyer in the lounge of a west London hotel, he told me his trip to the UK marked the first time he had strayed more than a couple dozen kilometers from his home in Ramallah in the West Bank since Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October.
“I had the ceremony in the US for the National Book Award [last November]; I was a finalist, and I couldn’t travel,” he told me. “Also, when something like this happens, you don’t want to leave. It’s too intense and you want to be close by.” He lowered his voice. “And if you leave when you don’t need to leave, you will take it with you.”
Shehadeh’s hesitation to leave Palestine reflects the deep sense of connection he feels to the ongoing struggles of his people. In his work and activism, he has spent years documenting the injustices faced by Palestinians. He’s been outspoken about the forced displacements and the systemic erosion of Palestinian identity and rights, framing the Israeli government’s actions as an attempt to create another Nakba—a mass exodus of Palestinians, as happened in 1948.
His critique of Israel is rooted in both personal and historical experience. Shehadeh’s own family was displaced during the original Nakba, and he has spent much of his life witnessing how the situation has worsened for Palestinians. For him, the current moment feels like a repeat of history, with Israel systematically squeezing Palestinians out of their land.
While Shehadeh has found moments of solace in his writing and activism, the ongoing violence and political climate in Palestine weigh heavily on him. “We are constantly living in fear,” he said, his tone a mix of resignation and anger. “It’s hard to stay hopeful when the situation feels as though it’s only getting worse.”
Despite these heavy emotions, Shehadeh continues to advocate for a peaceful solution, emphasizing the importance of human rights and international solidarity in the face of oppression. However, he recognizes the challenges of such a path when the situation is so deeply entrenched. “It is hard to envision peace when the structures of injustice seem so powerful,” he said.
In his view, the international community must do more than offer statements of concern—it must hold Israel accountable for its actions and recognize the long-standing oppression of the Palestinian people. Shehadeh’s reflections offer a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict and the ongoing struggle for justice.
