Kerala: The ‘Carnival of Poetry’ poetry festival held at Pattambi College in Kerala witnessed Zionist poet Aamir Orr igniting a firestorm of criticism with his comments on the Palestinian situation. Orr was participating in a poetry session alongside renowned Indian poet K. Satchidanandan and other speakers. During the discussion, he dismissed allegations of Zionist genocide against Palestinians, claiming, “What is happening in Palestine cannot be said to be a genocide. Of the 25,000 people killed there, 8,000 were Jihadists. They are using civilians as human shields.” The remarks drew swift condemnation, particularly in a region like Kerala known for its staunch support of Palestinian liberation and where Palestinian poetry finds resonance.

Orr’s defense of Israeli atrocities and denial of Palestinian suffering caused uproar among the audience. In his article, Adil Madathil reports his response to him on the spot, asking, “You can’t go like that. Sit down, what do you mean by Jihadi hunting? What else can we call the Israeli ‘resistance’ that kills babies, attacks hospitals, and uses poison gas but genocide?” Orr brushed off criticism by saying, “Don’t respond to me by reading the news in the Newspaper.” Adil retorted, saying, “We needn’t hear your Israeli propaganda to know what is going on in Palestine. Though we have the habit of reading newspapers and the ability to recognize the truth,” prompting a tense exchange that culminated in the session’s premature end. Another panelist Shyam Sudhakar got up and crouched down to show Amir Orr the way, saying, “No… can’t hear you.” Despite the outcry, some criticized Satchidanandan’s silence, questioning his role as a political poet in the face of Orr’s genocidal stance. This incident highlights the complexity of navigating charged issues like human rights and liberation struggles within literary spaces. It also demonstrates the public’s power to expose pseudo poets and harbingers of genocidal intents.