In 1986, Edward Said and Salman Rushdie sat down to talk at the ICA. Professor Said launched his book After the Last Sky: Palestinian Lives at the ICA and discussed his and the collective Palestinian identity, exile, return and the right to return. Much of what they discussed played out the following year, during the First Intifada.
Reshared on Monday 15 May 2023.
Time stamps:
00:00 - Intro by Salman Rushdie
03:13 - Rushdie reads 'The Earth is closing on us'
04:34 - The first part of Said's book
05:46 - The Palestinian experience
07:49 - Part two of Said's book; inside/outside
08:45 - Inside Palestinian-ness
09:28 - Cult of physical strength; a letter
11:02 - Invasions of the interior
12:15 - Zionism and historical context
12:50 - Part three: Exile
13:25 - What happens to landless people?
17:00 - Palestinians in New York
19:12 - Ability to publish work in US
20:21 - Treated like a diplomat of terrorism
22:25 - To be a NYC Palestinian in Palestine
24:28 -What is/is there a Palestinian nation
26:44 - Codes of being
34:30 - Tell the story from the beginning, again
37:14 - The unheard voices of Palestinian women
43:13 - Anti-zionism not antisemitism
48:55 - To be a non-muslim Palestinian
52:06 - After The Last Sky, turning inward
54:54 - Audience questions begin
55:37 - 'If you speak to Jewish audiences what do you tell them about the future of Jews in Palestine?'
1:01:23 - 'Have you developed a system to succinctly discuss this topic when asked?'
1:04:03 - 'Justice/morality/where/who is the court that hears it?'
1:08:28 - 'Less people are recognising this grievance, how can your idea of communication change this?'
1:11:07 - The fate of Arafat and Palestinians
1:12:49 - 'Self determination or, moreover, عودة (eawda, return)'