麻豆约拍

Raja Shehadeh reflects on a friendship forged over 40 years across the Israel-Palestine border. Read by Peter Polycarpou .

Raja reflects on his 40 year friendship with Henry, a Jewish Israeli. As idealistic young men when they first meet in 1977, they connect over shared interests in literature, writing and walking.

As the years pass, their friendship is challenged by history, politics, enmity and violence, but it also points the way to a common future.

Raja Shehadeh is an award winning Palestinian writer, lawyer, and founder of the human right's organisation, Al Haq. His books include Occupation Diaries; Language of War, Language of Peace and Palestinian Walks which won the 2008 Orwell Prize. He has contributed to The New York Times, The Guardian and Granta.

The music is Reem Kelani's Sprinting Gazelle.

Abridged by Penny Leicester

Producer: Elizabeth Allard.

First broadcast in five-parts on 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 in July 2018.