Simon & Schuster, one of the “big five” English-language publishers, believes that publishers have responsibilities beyond selling books.

We know because Simon & Schuster told us so in their self-stated mission to ensure “equity and a safe environment” for all.

Yet Simon & Schuster is actively republishing the work of Susan Abulhawa, an author who has celebrated political violence, repeatedly used dehumanising language about Jews and Israelis, and is now donating royalties to the Palestinian Youth Movement – an organisation with a documented history of working alongside Samidoun, which the U.S. government designated in 2024 as a “sham charity” fundraising for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP.)

Why is Simon & Schuster helping Abulhawa generate these royalties?

There is a dangerous double standard emerging, and her relationship with Simon & Schuster is a revealing case study in how well-meaning social justice commitments collide with ideological blind spots.

Because Simon & Schuster has drawn a line before.

In January 2021, the publishing giant cancelled U.S. Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) forthcoming book following the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot. The company acknowledged its mission was to “amplify a variety of voices and viewpoints,” but said there was another consideration:

“At the same time we take seriously our larger public responsibility as citizens.”

Five years later, that “larger public responsibility” seems to have completely disappeared.

On September 29, Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books is due to republish two novels by Palestinian-American author Susan Abulhawa: Mornings in Jenin and The Blue Between Sky and Water.

Abulhawa is not simply a controversial Palestinian writer. She has repeatedly expressed support for political violence and terrorism, while directing grotesque, dehumanising rhetoric at Jews and Israelis.

This is not a situation where a publisher can claim ignorance about their client.

On October 7, 2023, as Hamas terrorists were murdering, kidnapping and raping their way through southern Israel, Abulhawa posted: “Power and solidarity with Palestinian resistance!”

She also posted an image of a paraglider with text wishing them “victory” against their “Israeli colonizers and oppressors.”

In the days following October 7, Abulhawa continued to post in support of terrorist activity, and five days later in an op-ed, she described the perpetrators as “brave Palestinian fighters” and “freedom fighters.”

This was not an isolated outburst.

In May this year, Abulhawa said she “wholeheartedly” embraced armed and violent resistance and described it as “the only way” forward. In July, she paid tribute to the sole surviving participant in the 1972 Lod Airport massacre, in which 26 people were killed, after his death. She called him “Comrade,” praised his “heroic life” and described him as an “inspiration.”

Then there is her rhetoric about Jews and Israelis.

Abulhawa has repeatedly used terms including “demons,” “parasites,” “ghouls” and “cockroaches:”

She has spoken about the supposed “extreme overrepresentation of Jews” in government, media and culture. She has said the Holocaust has “lost its meaning” and complained that the world is “sick of hearing about it.”

Earlier this year, even New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani – hardly known for sympathy towards Israel – distanced himself from Abulhawa after it emerged that his wife had illustrated a short story in an anthology co-edited by Abulhawa. Mamdani called Abulhawa’s previous remarks “patently unacceptable” and “reprehensible.”

Let us not forget that on October 22 2023 Abulhawa declared: “The only thing standing between Israel and our total annihilation is Hamas:”

So what exactly does an author have to do before Simon & Schuster’s celebrated “larger public responsibility” kicks in?

Because the company certainly likes talking about responsibility.

Its corporate Social Impact Policy says Simon & Schuster believes its “actions and business practices” can have “a positive impact on society” and help create “a better, more sustainable and equitable future.”

Its diversity pledge promises support regardless of “race, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, nationality, religion or belief.” It talks of creating a “welcoming and safe environment for all.”

Fine words. But what do they actually mean?

After their contracted best-selling Jewish author Gerald Posner challenged Simon & Schuster over the Abulhawa republications in The Free Press, the company finally responded. In an on-the-record statement, Simon & Schuster publisher Jonathan Karp said:

“Simon & Schuster unequivocally opposes antisemitism, racism, and all forms of bigotry. While we remain committed to publishing a broad range of voices and viewpoints, we do not endorse dehumanizing or hateful rhetoric.”

Karp added that Abulhawa’s views were her own and did not reflect the company.

But nobody suggested they did.

The issue is not whether Simon & Schuster agrees with Susan Abulhawa. The issue is why the company apparently believes its social responsibility extends far enough to cancel some authors over their conduct, but feels justified in helping to bring Abulhawa to a wider audience.

These aren’t forgotten books sitting passively on a backlist.

These are new editions. A fresh commercial decision has been made. Covers are produced, publicity generated, books marketed and the reputation and resources of one of the world’s largest publishers placed behind them.

And Abulhawa herself is making the political purpose of the republications explicit.

In August, she urged supporters to pre-order the Simon & Schuster editions, announcing that her pre-order royalties would go to the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM).

That deserves scrutiny. PYM has a documented history of organising and campaigning alongside Samidoun, which the U.S. government designated in 2024 as a “sham charity” serving as an international fundraiser for the PFLP, a U.S. and EU designated terrorist organisation.

This makes the publisher’s attempt to distance itself increasingly difficult to swallow. Simon & Schuster is actively republishing and promoting the books; Abulhawa is explicitly directing the resulting royalties towards politically extremist causes. If any of that money crosses over into support for terrorist networks, it opens up an entirely different discussion.

Abulhawa has openly supported terrorism. Why on earth would Simon & Schuster want to be anywhere near this?

Someone at Simon & Schuster approved that decision.

Was that person aware of what Abulhawa posted on October 7?

Did they know about her explicit embrace of armed violence?

Did they know about the “parasites,” “demons,” “cockroaches” and “ghouls?”

If they didn’t, Simon & Schuster has a serious due-diligence problem.

If they did, there is a far more uncomfortable question to answer.

Where exactly is its line?

Would Simon & Schuster commission new editions from an author who repeatedly described Muslims as parasites, demons and cockroaches, celebrated someone who massacred Muslim civilians and openly expressed support for those carrying out terrorist violence against Muslims?

If not, what principle distinguishes that hypothetical case from this one?

This isn’t about banning Susan Abulhawa. She is free to write. Publishers are free to publish her. Readers are free to buy her books.

But Simon & Schuster is equally accountable for the choices it makes.

Corporations cannot plaster their websites with promises about diversity, inclusion, safe environments and social responsibility, invoke those principles when deciding one author is beyond the pale, and then retreat behind “her views are her own” when confronted with another.

The question is no longer what Susan Abulhawa believes; she has made that abundantly clear.

The question is what Simon & Schuster believes, and whether its loudly proclaimed principles mean anything when the people targeted by dehumanizing rhetoric happen to be Jews.

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