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'Threatened by books?': Israel condemned for arresting Palestinian bookshop owners

Academics, writers and diplomats demand that Israel release Palestinian booksellers detained for 'inciting hatred'
Palestinian bookseller Ahmad Muna is escorted by Israeli police into court in Jerusalem, on 10 February 2025 (John Wessels/AFP)
By Maysa Mustafa
Published date: 10 February 2025 21:01 GMT | Last update: 1 month 1 week ago

Thousands have taken to social media this week to condemn Israel after its authorities arrested the Palestinian owners of a historic occupied East Jerusalem bookshop for "inciting terrorism" with Palestinian literature, using a children's colouring book as proposed evidence.

Educational Bookshop is a decades-old bookstore chain respected by locals and internationals alike, with both Arabic and English-language locations. The Muna family have become well-known figures in the local Palestinian community and with diplomats, academics and writers who have visited occupied East Jerusalem. 

On Sunday, Israeli plain-clothed agents raided two of its three branches. Witnesses told Middle East Eye that the agents entered around 3pm as if they were regular customers. After five minutes, they suddenly produced a search warrant and ordered customers to leave.

After about 90 minutes, the Israelis left after detaining the shops’ owners, Mahmoud Muna and his nephew Ahmad. Both have been taken into custody. Many of their books were taken away with them.

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Witnesses said the Munas were told they were accused of “disorderly conduct”. However, MEE has been told that the search warrants specified "terrorist" offences.

The official X account of the Israeli police posted a picture of a children's colouring book, titled From the River to the Sea, as supposed evidence of the bookshop containing material "containing incitement and support for terrorism". 

South African author and illustrator of the colouring book, Nathi Ngubane, told MEE that he is concerned his work is being used by the Israeli authorities to censor Palestinians. 

"Our book's purpose was to educate children in South Africa and beyond about Palestine, apartheid, and Palestine's universal struggle for freedom. There is no content that incites hate or violence - only lessons in empathy and justice." 

This is not the first time Ngubane's book, published by Social Bandit Media, has made headlines for its Palestinian advocacy.

Last year, the children's book was pulled from a prominent South African bookstore chain after the South African Jewish Board of Deputies called for the "immediate cessation" of its publication because it "indoctrinates children".

from the river to the sea colouring book
Pages from, 'From the River to the Sea: A Colouring Book', illustrated by South African-based artist Nathi Ngubane (Social Bandit Media)

Ngubane says he believes the book - which sold over 13,000 copies in South Africa with all proceeds going to Gaza - is deemed "dangerous" by authorities in Israel and pro-Israel citizens in South Africa mainly because of the slogan that is used for the title.

Many Israelis and supporters of Israel say the phrase "From the River to the Sea" effectively calls for genocide and implies the destruction of Israel.

For Palestinians and pro-Palestine demonstrators, the slogan refers to liberating the territory that exists between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea in historic Palestine.

"It’s absurd that a children’s colouring book can lead to detention, while world leaders like Donald Trump openly advocate ethnic cleansing by suggesting Palestinians be displaced from their land - statements that are met with praise from the Israeli government," Ngubane said.

'No red lines'

Locals, writers and diplomats have come out in droves on social media to condemn the raid of the shops and the arrests of the Muna family, calling for their immediate release. 

Author Matthew Teller recently teamed with Mahmoud to release the book, Daybreak in Gaza: Stories of Palestinian Lives and Culture. He took to his account on X to release a statement on his colleague's arrest.

"The world has seen the nature of regimes that arrest and imprison booksellers before," he wrote. "I am proud to call Mahmoud and Ahmad friends. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the work they do in preserving, promoting and championing Palestinian literary culture in Jerusalem."

Another author, Brendan Browne, said he was proud that his book "sits on [the] hollowed shelves" of Educational Bookshop.

Diplomats from Palestine and abroad have expressed concern about the raids and arrests and the intention behind them. 

"The ongoing campaign to censor knowledge, stifle free speech and information that challenges Israel’s occupation of Palestine," Palestinian diplomat Husam Zomlot wrote on X. "Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of all just societies. There is no genuine peace without the freedom to read, and no freedom to read without booksellers able to carry out their work in safety."

Steffen Seibert, the ambassador of Germany to Israel, made a public statement as well, saying that he knows the "peace-loving" and "proud" Muna family. 

Sami Abou Shahadeh, the head of the left-wing Palestinian party in Israel, Balad, said the detention of Mahmoud and Ahmad "shows how afraid illegitimate regimes, such as the Israeli occupation, have of culture and education".

"Why is it that Israel feels so threatened by books? We may be entering a new stage of oppression, with Netanyahu and his people feeling that they have no red lines," he posted on X. 

As most expressed shock at the raid and subsequent arrests, many also pointed back to Gaza, where countless historic sites and many universities have been destroyed.

"People are surprised that Palestinan book stores were raided in East Jerusalem? Did they not see what happened to universities, mosques and hospitals in Gaza? Or to the people?" one social media user wrote on X. 

Since the arrests, the Education Bookshop shops have been filled with locals showing solidarity with the Muna family. 

Many have called for locals to take action on the ground, including UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese.

"Internationals in Jerusalem: please show up, stand with the Muna family, and protect this vital hub. Don't leave them alone!" she posted on X. 

"We call for their immediate release," author Ngubane told MEE.

"Palestinian voices and stories deserve to be heard globally, and efforts to silence them will only be met with solidarity," he added.

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