In a historical moment where the Palestinian narrative faces continuous attempts at erasure, storytelling emerges as a form of resistance, a historical document, and a pursuit of justice.
Hosted by the Mediapolitik Institute as part of "The Third Perspective podcast" program, this event invites you to Unity Bookshop in Brussels for a critical conversation on how politics and literature intersect to shape Palestinian consciousness.
The Vision
This panel aims to deconstruct the Palestinian narrative on two intertwined levels:
The Literary Level: How does the text—whether novel, poetry, or personal memoir—transform into a living archive? How do Palestinians write their pain and hope beyond rigid stereotypes?
The Political Level: How does literature serve political action? Can the writer break free from the "burden of representation" to exist as an individual voice, or is the Palestinian writer political by necessity?
The Panelists
The discussion brings together diverse Palestinian voices, bridging the gap between the homeland and the diaspora, journalism and literature, and political analysis and personal reflection:
Mahmoud Joudeh: A Palestinian writer and member of the General Union of Palestinian Writers. He is the author of a literary trilogy comprising Gaza the Orphan (2015), Letters to Baghdad (2018), and the novel Garden of Legs (2020). His works have been translated into several languages, most recently the Dutch translation of his novel Garden of Legs in 2024.
Rasha Hilwi: is a Palestinian writer, storyteller, journalist, editor, and cultural curator. She was born in the city of Akka and is based in Amsterdam. Her texts have been published in major Arabic media platforms and magazines, with several pieces translated into English and Dutch. Her first nonfiction book, on motherhood and home, will be published in the summer of 2026 by “Khan AlJanub” Publishing House in Berlin.
Waddah Abu Jame: A Palestinian poet and writer from Gaza. He studied law at the University of Palestine and established his presence in the cultural scene through poetry, literary readings, and workshops. He published the poetry collection A World Injected with Botox (Raya Publishing, Beirut, 2023), and his texts have been translated into English, Spanish, and French. Most recently, he released a short story collection titled General Lucky Loses the War (Marfa’ Publishing, Beirut, 2025).
The Moderator
Karim Abu Abualroos A Palestinian writer and researcher in political science. With a background in dismantling ideologies and political philosophy, Karim will guide this dialogue, exploring the utility of writing in times of catastrophe and the role of the intellectual in reconstructing the national narrative.
📅 Event Details
Date: Friday, January 16, 2026
Venue: Unity Bookshop, Brussels.
Organizer: Mediapolitik Institute and Unity Bookshop
Why Attend? This event is an attempt to understand how Palestinians rebuild their homes with words when their physical homes are destroyed. It is an invitation to engage intellectually with writers who transform personal narrative into a matter of public justice.