There were the sorts of questions and answers to be expected (Don’t you want dialogue with Israeli authors? When they recognize my rights), and then a question to Shibli about what Arabic literature has influenced her. Said Shibli:
To me, all literature is Arabic literature, because I read it in Arabic and therefore I feel it is Arabic. Tolstoy and Shakespeare – they are Palestinians!
Shibli’s beautiful novella, Touch, was recently released in English. I’m not supposed to say much more, since I have a review forthcoming in Rain Taxi, but you don’t need the review. Just go buy it.