Pulitzer winner refuses award in solidarity with Palestine

The Indian-American writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri has refused to accept an award by the Noguchi Museum in New York City in solidarity with Palestine.

She made the decision after the museum dismissed three employees for wearing keffiyeh, a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians.

“Jhumpa Lahiri chose to withdraw her acceptance of the 2024 Isamu Noguchi Award in response to our updated dress code policy,” the Noguchi Museum stated.

“We respect her perspective and understand that this policy may or may not align with everyone’s views,” it added.

In the same context, for nearly a year, demonstrators around the world have worn the Palestinian keffiyeh as a symbol of protest against the genocide by the Israeli occupiers in the besieged Gaza Strip, in blatant disregard of all international human rights laws.

Over the years, many celebrities and prominent figures worldwide have been wearing Palestinian keffiyeh, including the late anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela, on numerous occasions.