Inside The Land of Oz.(Books)(Amos Oz)(Interview)

Byline: Joanna Chen

Israeli author Amos Oz discusses his works, his childhood and the future of the Jewish state.

Amos Oz has long been at the forefront of his homeland's struggle for identity and a staunch advocate of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A founding member of the Peace Now movement, Oz has had his work translated into more than 45 languages--though few of his books have made it into Arabic. In May he will receive the Dan David Prize, awarded for outstanding contributions to humanity, along with former U.S. vice president Al Gore and British playwright Tom Stoppard. Judges cited Oz, who teaches literature at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, for "portraying historical events while emphasizing the individual" and for exploring "the tragic conflict between two nations." He recently spoke to NEWSWEEK's Joanna Chen at hisahome in Tel Aviv about literature, politics and hearing voices. Excerpts:

Chen: Why have so few of your books been translated into Arabic?

Oz: The Arabic translation matters to me more than any other. It's the one I feel most involved in. Unfortunately, there is a wall of resistance with the Arab countries. Many Arab publishers won't touch anything coming from Israel, whether it comes from the hawks or the doves.

What role do you think the past plays in determining the future of this region?

The past doesn't just play a role; it almost dominates this region. People remember too well and too much. Both Jews and Arabs carry deep, dramatic injuries.