Journalist under fire for defending Palestine gets award under heavy security

Gessen caused controversy due to comparing Gaza in magazine article to 'the Jewish ghettos in Europe that were once occupied'

By Cuneyt Karadag

BERLIN (AA) – Facing controversy over defending Palestine, Russian American writer/journalist Masha Gessen on Saturday received the Hannah-Arendt Prize award at a small ceremony with heavy security.

About 50 people attended the ceremony in a small hall in the northwestern city of Bremen, with tight police security measures.

Eva Senghaas, one of the managers of the Hannah-Arendt initiative, told German news agency DPA: “It was a very intense event in a small format and we are all happy that it happened."

- Controversy

Gessen attracted controversy due to comparing Gaza in a New Yorker magazine article to "the Jewish ghettos in Europe that were once occupied.”

Criticizing Gessen’s views, the Heinrich Boll Foundation – which gives the award – decided not to attend the award ceremony.

Kaynak: