What’s happening:
The Jewish journalist Masha Gessen is set to receive the prestigious Hannah Arendt Prize, despite earlier claims by the award’s administrators that they would withdraw support following a contentious essay by Gessen on Gaza.
Why it matters:
The decision to uphold the award to Gessen, who is known for their critical work on democracy and LGBTQ issues, comes amidst a backdrop of heightened sensitivity around historical comparisons and Israel’s policies. The move has reignited discussions on freedom of expression, the ethics of historical comparison, and the nature of criticism towards Israel’s foreign policy.
The backdrop:
Gessen, a Russian-born U.S. journalist and a Jewish writer for The New Yorker, penned an essay that drew parallels between the Gaza Strip and Nazi-era Jewish ghettos, inciting backlash from Jewish and pro-Israel groups. This led the Heinrich Böll Foundation, which administers the Hannah Arendt Prize, to initially distance itself from Gessen’s work and the award ceremony.
The controversy:
The foundation, after considering the situation, decided that Gessen’s unconditional commitment to democracy and discussions on uncomfortable issues merited recognition, thus confirming their receipt of the award and the associated 10,000 euros in prize money. The award honors political theorists who contribute to the philosophical tradition of 20th-century German Jewish thinker Hannah Arendt.
The response:
Despite the foundation’s endorsement of Gessen’s broader work, it expressed disagreement with the specific comparison of Gaza to Nazi-era ghettos, looking for alternative ways to engage in a more substantive dialogue with Gessen on the subject.
The fallout:
The controversy surrounding Gessen’s essay reflects a broader debate over responses to the Israel-Gaza conflict within the arts and academia. Past incidents have seen sponsors withdraw support, and figures in the cultural sector resign over perceived bias in the portrayal and critique of Israeli policy.
Gessen’s stance:
Gessen has defended their work, drawing parallels to Arendt’s own critical assessments of Israeli policy during her time. They emphasized the importance of comparison in recognizing dangerous similarities and cited Arendt’s own writings in their defense.
What’s next:
The award ceremony, initially set for a Friday, is now slated for Saturday. The event will reportedly be scaled down due to the absence of the city of Bremen from the organization but will still proceed to honor Gessen’s contributions to political theory.
This story was first published on jpost.com.