Book Launch: The Neck and the Sword and Palestinian Resistance Literature

Verso Books and The People’s Forum, in collaboration with the Institute for Palestine Studies, host a book launch and panel discussion on Friday, October 30, 2026, in Manhattan. The program focuses on Palestinian resistance literature, anti-imperialist history, and Middle East politics, marking the release of Ghassan Kanafani’s foundational text Palestinian Resistance Literature under Occupation, 1948–1968, co-published by Verso and the Institute for Palestine Studies with an introduction by Rashid Khalidi, alongside Khalidi and Tariq Ali’s collaborative volume The Neck and the Sword.

The panel features Khalidi, the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University and author of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine; Ali, historian, writer, antiwar activist, and member of the editorial committee of New Left Review; and Helga Tawil-Souri, associate professor of media, culture, and communication at New York University. The speakers will address the historic role of cultural production and literary expression in sustaining political resistance and its relevance to the contemporary struggle for Palestinian liberation.

The event is held in person at The People’s Forum, located at 320 West 37th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Admission is free, though advance registration is required. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the discussion beginning at 7:00 p.m. Seating is general admission. To RSVP and find additional details, visit Verso Books or register directly via Eventbrite.