Controversy over Palestinian author leads to Adelaide Festival cancellation
What's the story
The Adelaide Festival, one of Australia's premier cultural events, has been thrown into turmoil after the disinvitation of Australian-Palestinian writer Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah. The festival board cited "cultural sensitivities" following a deadly attack at a Jewish event in Bondi Beach as the reason for her removal. This decision sparked widespread backlash, leading to the withdrawal of over 180 other writers, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, British author Zadie Smith, and ultimately the cancellation of Writers's Week.
Board response
Festival board's statement and subsequent resignations
After the backlash, the Adelaide Festival board clarified that their decision to remove Abdel-Fattah was not an implication of her involvement in the Bondi attack. They stated it would not be "culturally sensitive" to include her due to "her past statements." The board also announced that all but one member would resign in a bid to "secure the success" of this year's festival amid ongoing controversy and potential legal action.
Controversial remarks
Abdel-Fattah's controversial statements and social media post
Abdel-Fattah, a novelist, academic, and lawyer, was invited to the festival to discuss her novel Discipline. Earlier, she had made statements arguing that Zionists had "no claim or right to cultural safety" and a 2024 post on X calling for "the end of this murderous Zionist colony." The controversy deepened when she posted an image of a person parachuting with a Palestinian flag shortly after Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.
Public response
Adelaide Festival board's controversial decision and public reaction
The board's decision to remove Abdel-Fattah has sparked a heated public debate about freedom of expression in Australia. Some writers defended her right to free speech, while others supported her exclusion. Former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said he believed some of Abdel-Fattah's previous statements had been "counterproductive" to the Palestinian cause but did not think it was unreasonable to exclude her given the circumstances after the Bondi attack.
Legal implications
Abdel-Fattah's response and potential legal action
In response to her disinvitation, Abdel-Fattah rejected the board's apology as disingenuous. She wrote on Instagram that their regret only extends to how they conveyed her cancellation, not the decision itself. Her lawyer has sent a letter to the board demanding clarification on which of her past statements justified her removal from the festival. The writer is yet to decide whether she will take any legal action against this decision.