In cases like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is it possible to find a middle ground—neither choosing a side nor claiming neutrality—in a new area called the politics of peace? Samir El-Youssef is the author of A Treaty of Love, The Illusion of Return, and Gaza Blues, co-authored with Etgar Keret. Born in a Palestinian refugee camp in south of Lebanon, he has lived in London since 1990.
A contributor to many publications, including The Guardian, The New Statesman, the Arabic Al-Hayat, and the Jewish Chronicle, El-Youssef won the 2005 Swedish PEN Tucholsky Award for promoting peace and freedom of speech in the Middle East.