“OVER 40,000 PEOPLE confirmed dead, each one a precious and irreplaceable life, each one loved and mourned.”

Speaking at the Southbank Centre in London last night, author Sally Rooney’s speech focused on the Israeli bombardment of Gaza and its effect on Palestinians, which she said made it “difficult to ignore the conclusion: that we are witnessing genocide”.

Rooney took to the stage at the centre to discuss her fourth novel, Intermezzo, in a live conversation hosted by literary critic Merve Emre.

Sally Rooney will always have my heart for her unequivocal support for Palestine. As we are learning in real time, it takes a lot to be a decent person in the west right now. Here she is at @southbankcentre tonight, before beginning her reading. pic.twitter.com/QGdrxOgmpv

— Zeba Talkhani (@ZebaTalk) September 25, 2024

She highlighted that the source of conflict in the region was in “the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the apartheid system under which Palestinians are forced to live”.

Rooney has been a vocal critic of the Israeli campaign in Gaza, and an advocate for Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

On the occasion of the visit of former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to Washington DC to visit US President Joe Biden for St Patrick’s Day earlier this year, she penned a guest opinion piece in the Irish Times.

The piece criticised both the United States and its President for the financial and military aid given to Israel which is used to continue the assault on Gaza, as well as the Irish government’s unwillingness to extend the criticism it levies at Israel to its largest backer.

Rooney’s latest novel, Intermezzo, was released on 24 September, with its launch being the busiest event of the year for many Irish bookshops.