Salman Rushdie: Hamas-Led Palestinian State Would Be 'Taliban-Like'

Renowned author Salman Rushdie stated in a May 2024 interview with German broadcaster RBB24 that a Palestinian state established today would be "Taliban-like" and a "satellite state of Iran." Rushdie, who has long supported the creation of a Palestinian state, expressed a significant shift in his perspective due to the current political landscape. His remarks were made during a literary festival in Germany while promoting his new memoir, "Knife."

"I was for a Palestinian state of my own for most of my life. Since the 1980s," Rushdie said, reflecting on his historical position. However, he added, "But if there were a Palestinian state now, it would be led by Hamas and we would have a Taliban-like state. A satellite state of Iran." He then questioned, "Is this what the progressive movements of the Western left want to create?"

The British-American novelist also criticized pro-Palestinian student protests on Western campuses, suggesting a lack of deep thought. He acknowledged the distress over the suffering in Gaza but urged protesters to also mention Hamas, which he described as a "fascist terrorist group." Rushdie found it "very strange for young, progressive student politics to kind of support a fascist terrorist group."

Rushdie's comments come against the backdrop of his own experiences with threats from extremist groups, including the fatwa issued against him by Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. He survived a severe knife attack in 2022, which left him blind in one eye. His recent statements underscore a concern about the potential governance and geopolitical alignment of a future Palestinian entity under current conditions.