Winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction 

A bold, psychologically rich novel of identity, exile, and resistance from one of Palestine’s most vital literary voices—written entirely from behind bars. 

Nur, a young Palestinian refugee from a camp near Ramallah, is often mistaken for an Ashkenazi Jew. Fluent in Hebrew and with a degree in archaeology, he dreams of freedom beyond the fences of the camp—and of writing a novel about Mary Magdalene based on the Gnostic Gospels. When he discovers an Israeli ID card in the pocket of a secondhand coat, he assumes a false identity and is hired for an archaeological dig near Megiddo. Passing as an Israeli, he moves through a world previously off-limits, gaining insight into the lives and beliefs of those he’s been taught to see as enemies. 

But as Nur’s borrowed identity deepens, so does the rift within: between Nur, the Palestinian, and “Ur,” the Israeli. By exploring this internal conflict, unfolding alongside friendships and love affairs, Bassem Khandaqji offers a meditation on the personal toll of occupation and the elusive desire to belong somewhere—fully, honestly, and without fear. 

Bassem Khandaqji
Bassem Khandaqji was arrested in 2004 at the age of 21 and sentenced by an Israeli military court to three life sentences. The attack for which he was convicted was claimed by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. International human rights observers have criticized his arrest and trial. From prison, Khandaqji has completed his education and authored four novels, two poetry collections, and hundreds of essays.