LONDON: A British writer has resigned from the Society of Authors after it released a statement following a raid by Israeli police on Palestinian-owned bookstores in East Jerusalem.

Matthew Teller said the statement, which failed to mention the names of the booksellers, Israel or Palestine, was a 鈥渂etrayal鈥� that added 鈥渋nsult to injury鈥� for the individuals detained.

Two branches of the Educational Bookshop were raided on Feb. 9. Police arrested Mahmoud Muna, who co-authored the book 鈥淒aybreak in Gaza鈥� with Teller, and his nephew Ahmed Muna.

Around 250 books were taken in the raid, but most were subsequently returned to the stores. Murad Muna, Mahmoud鈥檚 brother, said Israeli police were using Google Translate to identify 鈥渁nything they didn鈥檛 like the look of,鈥� including any book 鈥渨ith a Palestinian flag on it.鈥�

A police statement said Mahmoud and Ahmed were initially charged with 鈥渋nciting and supporting terrorism,鈥� and 鈥渄etectives encountered numerous books containing inciteful material with nationalist Palestinian themes, including a children鈥檚 colouring book titled 鈥楩rom the River to the Sea.鈥欌€�

The pair were eventually released and placed under house arrest, with their charges downgraded to 鈥渄isturbing public order,鈥� their lawyer said.

Protesters gathered outside a court hearing for the pair on Feb. 10, which was also attended by diplomats from the UK and several other European countries.

The SoA鈥檚 statement said: 鈥淲e are concerned by recent press reports on the police raid of an educational bookshop in a country which is governed by a parliamentary democracy.鈥�

Teller said he hoped the SoA 鈥渨ould have taken this opportunity to illuminate the evils of state censorship and defend those who seek to practise freedom. Instead, it obscured understanding of the issues with platitudes and irrelevant assertions. It was an abject failure.

鈥淚 wholeheartedly support writers who are able to remain engaged with the SoA, and I recognise the value in urgent ongoing efforts to force change, but I, regretfully, can no longer tolerate such equivocation from a trade union that purports to represent me.鈥�

An SoA spokesperson said it is 鈥渟addened when any of our members decide to leave us,鈥� but 鈥渨e considered that recent press reports provided an opportunity to the SoA to remind our members of its position on book bans.鈥�

More than 拢30,000 ($37,925) were raised for the booksellers by a GoFundMe campaign organized by Saqi Books in London to help pay for damages, replace lost books and loss of income until Mahmoud and Ahmed are permitted by Israeli authorities to return to work.

Saqi Books is also launching #BooksellingIsNotACrime Day on Saturday in partnership with Pluto Press, with participating booksellers and organizations encouraged to donate to the fundraiser and raise the profile of Palestinian writers.