Controversial Essay on Gaza Leads to Cancellation of Hannah Arendt Prize

The controversial award ceremony for the Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought, which was set to honor U.S.-Russian writer Masha Gessen, has been postponed and will now take place on a smaller scale. Gessen faced criticism for statements comparing the situation in Gaza to Jewish ghettos during World War II. The Heinrich Böll Foundation, a contributor to the prize money, described the comments as "unacceptable." As a result, the foundations withdrew their support, and the Bremen City Hall withdrew permission to use the venue for the ceremony. Gessen is known for writing about political currents and conflicts in the US and Russian society.