Sally Rooney Books Pulled from U.K. Over Palestine Action Support

Irish novelist Sally Rooney will no longer sell her books in the United Kingdom after her publisher Faber ceased U.K. distribution on Wednesday. The decision follows Britain's proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism Act 2000, a designation that makes it a criminal offense to provide financial support to the group.

Rooney had previously pledged to donate royalties from bestsellers such as "Intermezzo" and "Normal People" to Palestine Action, which campaigns to halt British arms exports to Israel. Faber stated that current U.K. legislation prevents it from passing earnings to the author, calling the situation "unconscionable" for a publisher.

“To sell a writer's work and not be able to pass on earnings is an unconscionable situation for a publisher.”

Rooney confirmed she cancelled a planned trip to England due to the risk of arrest. In a statement, she noted the group is not banned in the Republic of Ireland and said she is prepared to accept the consequences of her stance. The author has sold over six million books worldwide.

The U.K. government designated Palestine Action a terrorist group in July 2025, citing property damage and disruption. The group describes its aim as ending British complicity in what it calls Israel's "genocide" in Gaza, where the Hamas-run Health Ministry reports over 74,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023. Israel denies the genocide allegations.