When the board of a South Australian festival cut a prominent Palestinian Australian author from its lineup, citing her \u201cpast statements\u201d in the context of the deadly Bondi terror attack, it no doubt braced itself for controversy.<\/p>\n
What it may not have foreseen, however, is an implosion.<\/p>\n
Five days after the Adelaide festival<\/a> board announced it had removed Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah from its writers\u2019 week lineup, more than 180 speakers<\/a> had boycotted the event, almost the entire board along with the festival\u2019s director<\/a> had resigned, and the 2026 writers\u2019 week had been cancelled<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Thursday 8 January, the board released a statement confirming Abdel-Fattah, a critic of Israel, would no longer appear at the festival, citing \u201ccultural sensitivity\u201d concerns after a review in the wake of the Bondi terror attack<\/a>.<\/p>\n The board said that it did not suggest \u201cin any way\u201d that Abdel-Fattah had a connection with the December shooting deaths of 15 people at Bondi beach on the first day of the Jewish festival Hanukah, allegedly by two men inspired by Islamic State.<\/p>\n The statement continued that the decision was made \u201cgiven her past statements\u201d.<\/p>\n Abdel-Fattah, who is Palestinian Australian, has faced sustained criticism<\/a> from Australia\u2019s conservative opposition, some Jewish bodies and media outlets for comments on Israel, including alleging Zionists had \u201cno claim or right to cultural safety\u201d.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Abdel-Fattah rejected any suggestion she had made antisemitic comments in the past, telling ABC Radio Adelaide<\/a> that she had \u201cnever, ever called for Jews to be unsafe\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cZionism is not a racial or religious identity, it is a political ideology. It is as absurd as saying that communists have the right to cultural safety or Islamism or white supremacy or misogyny,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI have sat in rooms where people have said that ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is justified. I am entitled to say there should be no space for people to call for genocide.\u201d<\/p>\n Abdel-Fattah also faced backlash for posting \u201cMay 2025 be the end of Israel\u201d and changing her profile picture to a picture of a Palestinian paratrooper after the 7 October attacks.<\/p>\n Abdel-Fattah told the ABC in an interview she had used the image when she had \u201cno idea about the death toll\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, I do not support the killing of civilians,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n After the board\u2019s decision was made public, Abdel-Fattah accused it of \u201cblatant and shameless\u201d anti-Palestinian racism and censorship.<\/p>\n She said the board\u2019s attempt to associate her with the Bondi massacre was \u201cdespicable\u201d.<\/p>\n The same afternoon, a string of Australian writers, publishers and thinktanks issued their own withdrawal statements. The former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, the bestselling author Zadie Smith, Russian American journalist Masha Gessen, the Pulitzer prize-winning writer Percival Everett and one of Australia\u2019s most decorated writers, Helen Garner, dropped out in the days that followed.<\/p>\n On Tuesday 13 January, the director of Adelaide writers\u2019 week, which is part of Adelaide festival<\/a>, followed suit.<\/p>\n Louise Adler, who is also one of Australia\u2019s most influential literary figures and a member of the progressive Jewish Council of Australia, announced her resignation in an opinion piece published in Guardian Australia<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot be party to silencing writers, so with a heavy heart I am resigning from my role as the director of the AWW,\u201d wrote Adler.<\/p>\n \u201cWriters and writing matters, even when they are presenting ideas that discomfort and challenge us. We need writers now more than ever, as our media closes up, as our politicians grow daily more cowed by real power, as Australia grows more unjust and unequal.\u201d<\/p>\n Hours later, the board announced<\/a> Adelaide writers\u2019 week could \u201cno longer go ahead as scheduled\u201d and apologised to Abdel-Fattah for \u201chow the decision was represented\u201d.<\/p>\n