Palestine today: Citizen or exile?

In her latest book, 'Return: A Palestinian Memoir', Dr Ghada Karmi has written a passionate exploration of belonging.

Having grown up in Britain following exile from Palestine in 1948, doctor, author and academic Ghada Karmi returns to her homeland eager to help with the peace process and the creation of a Palestinian state.

She starts work with the Palestinian Authority and visits places not seen since her childhood. What she finds is emotionally and intellectually draining.

Her old family home is now occupied and most of the West Bank militarised. Her encounters with politicians, fellow Palestinians and Israelis force her to question the future for Palestinians in her homeland, and - for her and other exiles - whether a real, meaningful "return" is possible.

On this visit to Canberra, Dr Karmi will tell it like it is now in Palestine and Israel and whether recent developments - including the re-election of a right wing Netanyahu government, Israel's ongoing wholesale destruction of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank on the one hand and Palestine's access to the International Criminal Court and enhanced status within the United Nations on the other hand - provide scope for pessimism or optimism for a just peace.

Ghada Karmi is a Palestinian writer, academic and activist.

She was born in Jerusalem, but moved with her family to England after Israel was established in 1948 and the majority of Palestinians were forced to flee.

In England, she trained as a doctor of medicine. In 1972, she established the British-Palestinian Medical Charity and she became an Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs.

On this visit to Australia she will speak at the 2015 Melbourne Writers' Festival about her latest book 'Return: A Palestinian Memoir'.

Her earlier books include 'Jerusalem Today: What Future for the Peace Process' and the best-selling 'In Search of Fatima'.

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