Phil Klay named PEN America president amid war rifts

Phil Klay has been appointed the new president of PEN America, a literary and free expression organization. Klay, an Iraq War veteran and winner of the 2014 National Book Award for fiction, succeeds Dinaw Mengestu. Mengestu resigned in July following the release of a PEN report. This report was based on interviews with dozens of Jewish and Israeli writers who described experiencing cultural isolation since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Mengestu stated on Instagram that the report's focus indicated a bias against Palestinians and undermined his confidence in PEN's ability to act equitably. He wrote, "I argued that the organization would defend free expression equitably and equally. This report makes clear that will not happen." The organization has faced internal disagreements related to the Israel-Hamas war. In the past, writer dissatisfaction with PEN's response to the war led to participant dropouts from its annual awards ceremony and "World Voices" festival.

Klay has expressed support for the PEN study on Israeli and Jewish writers. He has also voiced criticism of Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. In August, Klay quoted a New York Times story on X, stating, "The violence is unchecked, indiscriminate and targets innocent civilians." He also wrote an article for The Atlantic in March 2024 titled "U.S. Support for Israel’s War Has Become Indefensible."

In a statement released by PEN, Klay said he has "broad faith in cultural exchange, in sustained efforts to understand other people, other cultures, and other ideas, including uncomfortable ones, and to the creation of a more open and egalitarian public square."

Disagreements in reporting

Reports differ on the specific reasons for Dinaw Mengestu's resignation. Washington Top News states Mengestu resigned in the wake of a PEN report that drew upon interviews with dozens of Jewish and Israeli writers about the “widening cultural isolation” they had faced since the war began. He posted on Instagram that the report’s emphasis showed a continued trend of bias against Palestinians and undermined his belief that PEN was capable of changing. Other reports state Mengestu resigned in July after a PEN report. Haaretz reports Klay has been critical of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, but also spoke out against a magazine for removing an article by an Israeli translator.

Omissions in coverage

None of the left-rated digests mention the specific wording of Dinaw Mengestu's Instagram post regarding his belief that PEN was capable of changing. None of the right-rated digests mention Phil Klay's criticism of Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, nor do they mention his Atlantic article titled "U.S. Support for Israel’s War Has Become Indefensible."