“It’s a ridiculous situation… the British government have dug themselves into a very big hole,” said Davies about the Palestine Action ban.
“It’s not about politics, belief systems, it’s about humanity.”
Davies said Gaza was half the size of the Welsh county of Flintshire and compared the war there between Israel and Hamas to Wales having all of its children located there and being bombed.
“The population of Palestine has a very high proportion of children, they have been disproportionally impacted… there are tens of thousands of amputees under the age of 10.”
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on the country on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Since then, more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, including at least 21,976 children, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.
The UN says another 10,000 children in Gaza have sustained life-changing injuries, including permanent disabilities.
Asked if she was concerned about any potential repercussions for donating her royalties to Rooney, Davies said: “Of course – but the repercussions for those in Gaza are horrific.”
She said she understood Palestine Action was a proscribed group, but added: “As far as British law is concerned, I’m not doing anything illegal.
“I’m not donating to Palestine Action, I’m donating to Sally Rooney as an act of solidarity.”
Rooney has sold more than six million books globally, including 2.3 million in the UK, according to NielsenIQ BookData.
Normal People was published in 2018 and turned into a hit TV series two years later, effectively launching the acting careers of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Rooney’s other novels are Intermezzo, Conversations With Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You.
Ebook editions of her books have been removed from sale in the UK, although many book shops still have existing stock.
In a previous statement, regarding her decision to stop supplying UK booksellers as a result of her support for Palestine Action, Rooney said: “I have made every effort to be honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions and I am wholly prepared to accept the consequences.”
