PEN America President Resigns Over Dispute on Palestine and Free Speech
PEN America President Dinaw Mengestu has resigned after seven months in the role, accusing the literary organization of failing to address Palestinian issues fairly and defend free expression equally.
Mengestu said PEN’s position on the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement contributed to what he described as the marginalization of Palestinian voices. He argued that supporting or participating in boycotts is a form of protected speech.
The resignation followed a PEN report highlighting the experiences of Israeli and Jewish-American writers who said they faced professional challenges after the Gaza war. Mengestu criticized the organization for focusing on those concerns while overlooking Palestinian suffering.
PEN America said it respects Mengestu’s decision and acknowledged that debates over free expression and cultural boycotts remain complex.
