Rafeef Ziadah: 'What is the threshold of Palestinian deaths before a cultural boycott is respected?'

Palestinian poet Rafeef Ziadah is touring Ireland, along the way paying tribute to a celebrated literary figure killed in Gaza by the Israelis

Palestinian poet Rafeef Ziadah will be reading at the Pavilion in Cork city on Thursday as part of an Irish tour. 

Sounds of explosions punctuated the final media interviews of Palestinian poet Dr Refaat Alareer in October 2023. He described, sometimes on the verge of tears, feelings of helplessness and despair as a parent under bombardment in Gaza.

On the first of November 2023, the father of six, an author, mentor, editor and professor of English literature at the Islamic University of Gaza, posted a poem called ‘If I Must Die’ on his X/Twitter account.