Atwood Accepts Israeli Prize, Defends ‘Artists Without Armies’
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Margaret Atwood peeks at the busy schedule for her first visit to Israel: She’s set to receive a prestigious prize, meet with Israeli and Palestinian bird enthusiasts, and talk to specialists in Mideast water shortages.
As a vice president of human-rights group International PEN, the Canadian novelist is making a statement just by being in the Jewish state. Palestinian groups urged her not to accept the $1 million Dan David Prize for literature, which she shared with Indian author Amitav Ghosh, or to visit Israel for last night’s award ceremony.