- Saḥar Khalīfah (1941-, Palestine) – al-Mīrāth (‘The Inheritance’, 1997). Al-Mīrāth depicts the return of Zaynib, an American Palestinian university lecturer and businesswoman, to Palestine after the signing of the Oslo Accord. She decides to see her father’s village Wādī al-Rīḥān with her own eyes. When Zaynib (her American name is Ziyna), who is lost between two cultures and multiple languages, arrives, she is surprised to find that the Palestinian society is itself divided. For there are businessmen who do not shy away from working with Israelis when economic benefit is involved, and people who benefit from the agreements by being able to return to their villages, even though they oppose the agreement itself. Zaynib realizes it is up to Palestinians themselves to build and take care of their own society despite Israeli occupation (reference).
- Sāmiḥ Khaḍr (1976-, Palestine) – Yaʿdū Bisāq Wāḥidah (‘Running with one leg’, 2015). After the Oslo Accord realized the dream of many Palestinians, that of return, the young Palestinian Qāsim travels to Palestine for the first time, carrying with him dreams of the previous generation. The trip does not go as expected, as he is shocked when he encounters Israeli soldiers blocking his way and sees the dire situation in refugee camps. The biggest shock, however, is his own estrangement from other Palestinians and the subsequent regret of returning to his family’s country. The novel shows the discrepancy between the image of Palestine of those living in exile, and the Palestinian reality of those who stayed (reference).
- ʿAbād Yaḥyā (1980-, Palestine) – Rāmallāh al-Shaqrāʾ (‘Blonde Ramallah’, 2013). Focused on the presence of foreigners in Ramallah, especially that of Europeans, and their influence on the economic and social life of the city.
- Layānah Badr (1950-, Palestine) – Al-Khaymah al-Bayḍāʾ (‘The white tent’, 2016). Set in Ramallah, this novel is a socio- political criticism on the result of the Olso Accord. Its narrative takes place during one single day and is documented by Nashīd who works at an NGO, and Asī, an about-to-retire fidayee.
Refrences:
In order of appearance
- Nabīh al-Qāsim. 2011. “Hadhahi hiyya Sahar Khalīfa, wa hadhahi Ṣarkhatuha al-ʿĀliyyah: La.” www.alquds.co.uk, 25 November 2011, https://www.alquds.co.uk/%D9%87%D8%B0%D9%87-%D9%87%D9%8A-%D8%B3%D8%AD%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%87%D8%B0%D9%87-%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%AE%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A7/ (last accessed 17 November 2021)
- Nabīh al-Qāsim. 2016. “Riwāyah Sāmiḥ Khaḍr ‘Yaʿdū Bisāq Wāḥidah’ wa al-Ḥulm al-Ladhī la Yazāl Yurāwid al-Shabāb al-filasṭīnī.” www.alquds.co.uk, 18 January 2019, https://www.alquds.co.uk/%EF%BB%BF%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%AD-%D8%AE%D8%B6%D8%B1-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%88-%D8%A8%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%82-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84/ (last accessed 11 November 2021)