The Use of Hebrew by Palestinian-Israelis Novelists: the Sammas and Kashua Case

Abstract

This article focuses on the causes of some Palestinian-Israelis novelists to write their novels in Hebrew. Palestinian-Israelis citizens have to confront the double identity problem because it is sometimes hardly reconcilable. Like Israelis citizens they live in an enviroment very different from their Arab-Palestinian brothers and, like Arabs, they have to confront a discriminatory situation. That problem is reflected on their novels. Authors like ‘Atallah Mansur, Na‘im ‘Araydi, Antón Sammas or Sayyed Kashua have expresed in Hebrew all their preoccupations and their doubts. They have denounced the discrimination suffered, because they are considered as second class citizens.