Irish author Sally Rooney has previously released two critically acclaimed novels.
The book Normal People was translated into 46 different languages, including Hebrew.
Sally Rooney's new novel Beautiful World, Where Are You, like her previous books, follows young intellectuals and revolves around themes such as friendship and love.
But when the author's Israeli publisher, Modan publishing house, wanted to translate it, the author said no.
The reason is that she is boycotting Israel for political reasons.
- My personal opinion is that a boycott of books or a boycott of publishers restricts international dialogue.
And that is not good, says Svante Weyler, chairman of the Swedish Committee against Anti-Semitism and founder of Weyler publishing house.
"Fertilize conspiracy theories and anti-Semitism"
Sally Rooney has been translated into several other countries whose policies can be seen as controversial, such as China and Russia.
The decision not to translate the new book into Hebrew has aroused criticism.
Hynek Pallas writes in Expressen that the author's position "feeds conspiracy theories and anti-Semitism" and Johanna Schreiber believes in Göteborgs-Posten that the boycott is an "unsympathetic symbolic act"
"Blurry"
But Svante Weyler believes that the boycott should be seen as anti-Israeli rather than anti-Semitic.
- I perceive this as an anti-Israeli decision because she equates an Israeli publisher with Israeli government policy.
Anti-Semitism against states is unusual.
As far as one does not say "wipe out Israel", he says.
However, he is hesitant about the method of boycotting.
- One should not so quickly equate a state with a publisher.
It is complicated to equate everything in Israel with the policies of the Israeli government.
Then it will be, not anti-Semitic, but a very blurry criticism.
Expresses solidarity with the Palestinian people
Through her boycott, Sally Rooney joins the BDS movement - boycott, disinvestment, sanctions.
Artist Patti Smith and author Alice Walker are other celebrities who support BDS and have boycotted Israel.
In a statement, Sally Rooney explains her decision.
It states that she can publish the book in Hebrew - but not until she manages to sell the translation in a way that complies with the BDS movement's guidelines.
"In the meantime, I would like to reiterate my solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom, justice and equality," she said in a statement.
On Tuesday, the Swedish publisher Ruin offered to translate the book into Hebrew, but the publisher has not been in contact with the author, reports DN.