After the United Arab Emirates announced the formal normalization of diplomatic ties with Israel, a number of Arab and Palestinian artists and intellectuals announced their boycott of all activities, events and cultural awards set at and sponsored by the UAE.
Such programs and awards include the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, the Booker Prize for book writers, Kalemah translation program in Abu Dhabi and Point of View 8 art exhibit by the Sharjah Art Foundation.
According to WAFA Palestinian News and Info. Agency, both Moroccan novelists Abu Yousef Taha and Al Zahra Rmeij, announced their withdrawal from the Sheikh Zayed Book Award stating that the decision is in solidarity with Palestinian people.
Poet and writer Ahmed Abu Salim also announced in a tweet the withdrawal of the nomination of his novel "Promethana" for the Booker Prize, and his boycott of all cultural activities in the UAE, calling on all Arab intellectuals to do the same.
Palestinian photographer Muhammad Badarneh announced that he had withdrawn his participation from the exhibition "Point of View 8," to be held on August 29 in the UAE.
The New Arab reported that Syrian translator and critic Nasser Wannous, who has ongoing projects with Kalemah program, has announced boycotting all programs and cultural activities in the UAE.
On the other hand, other Arab artists who are working with independent organizations, which have never been affiliated with or received funds from the UAE government, announced the results of the work that had already started much earlier in the UAE to benefit artists in the region; such as film director and poet Hind Shoufani, who supported the launch of the Barjeel Poetry Prize 2020 by the Barjeel Art Foundation, in collaboration with artists Marcia Lynx Qualey and Zeina Hashem Beck.
