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Osama Alaysa

オサマ・アライサ

Osama Alaysa

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1968-12-20 （Bethlehem, Palestine）
Nationality
Palestine
Languages
Arabic
Residence History
Bethlehem, Palestine → Jordan (moved 1987)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Journalist
Active Years
1984-
Affiliations
Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Palestinian Writers Union, Former managing editor of the weekly Al-Sada
Memberships
Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Palestinian Writers Union

Awards

Award of the Return of Oral History (Merit Award)
2008
Work: Research "Tales from the Jerusalem's Barrows"
Result: Merit award
Palestine Award for Journalism and Information
2011
Result: Winner
Arab Prize for Creativity
2013
Work: Al Maskobiya
Result: Winner
Sheikh Zayed Book Award
2015
Work: Fools of Bethlehem
Organization: Sheikh Zayed Book Award
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Al Maskobiya

2010 Novel

A novel dealing with political and social themes, portraying tensions in the Arab world and individual struggles.

PoliticsSociety

Fools of Bethlehem

2013 Novel

Set in Bethlehem, the novel portrays marginalized people and images of madness to reflect daily life and human relations under occupation. Winner of the 2015 Sheikh Zayed Book Award.

BethlehemOppressionMadness

The Last Kiss of Bethlehem

2016 Novel

Through stories of Bethlehem and its inhabitants, the novel explores memory, loss, and love.

MemoryLossLove

The Jericho Rose

2017 Novel

A story depicting the intersection of community and individual lives, connecting history and the present through symbolic imagery.

HistorySymbolism

The Cat of Beer Al Sab

2017 Novel

A shorter novel that intersects local color with personal stories, revealing greater meanings beneath everyday events.

Everyday lifeLocal identity

A Bridge Over the Jordan River

2018 Novel

A work themed on movement, borders, and connections, telling stories that cross geographical and psychological boundaries.

MigrationBorders

We, the Poor, Are Still the Most Capable of Loving People

1984 Short story collection

His debut short story collection, depicting emotions and relationships of those living in poverty and under oppression.

PovertyHuman relationships

Anthropods of Longing and Distress

2004 Short story collection

A collection of short stories centered on longing and distress.

LongingDistress

Bibliography

  • Al Maskobiya (2010)
  • Fools of Bethlehem (2013)
  • The Last Kiss of Bethlehem (2016)
  • The Jericho Rose (2017)
  • The Cat of Beer Al Sab (2017)
  • A Bridge Over the Jordan River (2018)
  • We, the Poor, Are Still the Most Capable of Loving People (short stories, 1984)
  • Anthropods of Longing and Distress (short stories, 2004)
  • The Scrolls of the Dead Sea (2003)
  • The Road to Emmanuel (2003)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
RealistPolitical depictionDetailed portrayals of daily life under occupation
Recurring Motifs
BethlehemOppression and resistanceBoundaries between madness and normality

Legacy

Osama Alaysa is a Palestinian writer and journalist known for works depicting regional political and social realities. A winner of awards including the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, he is considered an important voice in contemporary Arab literature.

Academic Societies

  • Palestinian Writers Union

Trivia

  • He was first arrested and imprisoned by Israeli authorities when he was 13 years old.
  • He moved to Jordan in 1987.
  • He served as managing editor of the weekly newspaper Al-Sada.
  • He published his first short story collection in 1984.