Ghassan Zaqtan

Ghassan Zaqtan is a Palestinian poet, novelist, playwright, and editor. Born in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, he is a strong supporter of the Palestinian liberation movement. In 2013, his collection of poetry, Like a Straw Bird It Follows Me, translated by Fady Joudah, was awarded the Griffin Poetry Prize, and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas awarded him the National Medal of Honor for his many contributions to Palestinian literature.