Selma Dabbagh

Selma Dabbagh (born 1970) is a British-Palestinian writer who gained fame in 2011 with Out of It, an acclaimed novel centered on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,[1][2] which was nominated as a Guardian Book of the Year in 2011 and 2012 [3]

Born in Scotland, Dabbagh is the daughter of a Palestinian father from Jaffa and an English mother. Now a full-time writer of fiction, she has spent lengthy periods in Kuwait, France, Egypt and Bahrain, with almost annual visits to Palestine.[1] Before concentrating on writing, she worked as a human rights lawyer in London with frequent visits to the West Bank and Cairo. Since 2004, she has written short stories which have appeared in New Writing 15 and Qissat: Short Stories by Palestinian Women. She has twice been a finalist in the Fish Short Story Prize for Beirut-Paris-Beirut (2005) and Aubergine (2004).[2] In 2014, her radio play The Brick was broadcast by the BBC.[4]

'Out of It is her maiden novel reflecting Israel- Palestinian conflict in a most honest and riveting tales. It tells the lives of the people under occupation and who are struggling in a horrific way in their day-to-day lives. According to Ahdaf Soueif, author of The Map of Love, Out of It is ‘an original and vivid voice.’ The novel open abruptly, with the Israeli attack on Gaza leaving the people of the city in a very panic state rescuing for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. This is somewhat we witness last year, when Israel carried out air strikes on Gaza till 51 days. Debbagh, being a Palestinian is aware of the conflict existing in the region. The story of the novel revolves around the family of Mujaheds, who are in a way more privileged than their neighbours. Like many other Palestinian families they are also itinerant who have learnt to adjust with their surroundings, attaching values to small things. Placed in Gaza, Mujaheds have been the witness of the early years of the second intifada. The family of Mujaheds comprises of four members; three children and a mother are trying to cope up with the situations in Gaza. The story revolves around Rashed and Iman as they try to survive and establish themselves in a world full of chaos and uncertainties of lives. They are caught between Palestinian ethos, occupation, religious fundamentalism and the divisions between Palestinian fractions. Studying in best education centres they are not able to detach themselves from the Palestinian struggle for justice against apartheid as they have lived in the midst of all the atrocities committed for the sake of occupation. They are a witness of genocide of their people in the hand of Israeli forces and finally devoting their lives for the Palestinian causes leaving aside their careers. Reading Out of It is like a window to Palestine as one can understand the situation in which Palestinians especially people of Gaza are surviving amidst such severe conditions and atrocities.

References

  1. 1 2 David B. Green. "A conversation with British-Palestinian writer Selma Dabbagh". Haaretz. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Salma Dabbagh". British Council. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  3. ↑ http://selmadabbagh.com/about/
  4. ↑ "The Brick". BBC. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  5. http://kashmirdispatch.com/2015/11/22/book-review-out-of-it-a-window-to-palestine/913/


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