Erri De Luca withdraws from Salerno literary festival after Gaza comments spark outrage

Italian writer Erri De Luca was forced to cancel his opening appearance at the Salerno Literary Festival, scheduled for June 13, after controversial statements about Gaza and Israel. In an interview with Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, translated on May 25 by Italian daily Il Foglio, De Luca said: "It's terrible, but it's not a genocide." The remarks provoked widespread shock and criticism in Italy, leading to his withdrawal from the festival. De Luca, a celebrated Neapolitan author known for his leftist activism, has long been a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights. The incident highlights the intense polarization around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within Italian cultural circles.