Free expression advocate group 'PEN America' hardens stance on Israel after boycott pressure
After sustained boycott pressure from a group called Writers Against the War in Gaza (WAWOG), PEN America has moved to implement critical measures against Israel.
WAWOG’s boycott of PEN America began in early 2024. By November of that year, Suzanne Nossel resigned as PEN America’s CEO — one of the campaign’s central demands — because “her commitment to Zionism made her a liability to PEN America.”
Mass withdrawals by writers forced the cancellation of PEN America’s flagship awards ceremonies, with prize money redirected to Palestinian aid organizations. Plans to open an Israeli chapter were also suspended.
In 2025, PEN America hardened its stance on Israel, including calling for a U.S. arms embargo, publicly describing the war in Gaza as genocide, increasing attention to Palestinian writers and journalists, and reporting more than $500,000 in aid to Palestinians. In response, WAWOG announced it would no longer urge writers to sever ties with the organization.
PEN America is the largest chapter of the century-old PEN International, which describes itself as an advocate for free expression worldwide.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
