Murakami defies protests to accept Jerusalem prize
Alison Flood writing in guardian.co.uk, Monday 16 February 2009

Seeing for himself ... Haruki Murakami and Israeli president Shimon Peres attend the ceremony at the 24th International book fair in Jerusalem. Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters

Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami last night accepted Israel's prestigious literary award, the Jerusalem prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society, despite opposition from pro-Palestinian groups.

Murakami was presented with the $10,000 (£70,000) prize, given to the author whose work "best expresses and promotes the idea of the 'freedom of the individual in society'", on Sunday evening at the opening of the 24th Jerusalem international book fair, for a body of work including Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, which all reached Israel's bestseller lists.

Previously, an open letter from a pro-Palestinian group had asked him to reconsider accepting the prize and participating in the book fair. "Please turn your attention to the Palestinians, who are being denied their freedom and dignity as human beings," the letter from the Palestine Forum Japan said. "We would humbly ask you to consider the effects your receipt of the Jerusalem prize would have, what sort of message the world would receive in this Middle East situation, what kind of propaganda value it could have to Israel and the possibility of aggravating the critical situation Palestinians are facing."

Read Alison Flood's full story here.