Adelaide Writers’ Week Cancelled After Backlash Over Disinviting Palestinian Author

One of Australia’s most prominent literary festivals, Adelaide Writers’ Week, has been called off following mounting controversy over the removal of Palestinian-Australian activist and author Randa Abdel-Fattah from its programme.

Festival organisers announced on Tuesday that the event could no longer proceed after a wave of speaker withdrawals and resignations from the festival’s board, sparked by the decision to disinvite Abdel-Fattah.

In a statement, the board said it had removed Abdel-Fattah from the lineup out of respect for the Jewish community following the deadly Bondi Beach mass shooting, but acknowledged the move had deepened divisions.

“We recognise and deeply regret the distress this decision has caused to our audience, artists and writers, donors, corporate partners, the government and our own staff and people,” the board said.

The board also issued an apology to Abdel-Fattah, stating that the decision was not about “identity or dissent” but about what it described as a rapidly shifting national discourse around freedom of expression following Australia’s deadliest terror attack.

The cancellation came hours after festival director Louise Adler revealed that Abdel-Fattah had been disinvited against her strong objections. Writing in The Guardian, Adler described the decision as a serious blow to free expression and warned of a growing culture of censorship.

“Are you or have you ever been a critic of Israel? Joe McCarthy would be cheering on the inheritors of his tactics,” Adler wrote, likening the episode to Cold War-era political repression.

Abdel-Fattah, a vocal critic of Israel and prominent advocate for Palestinian rights, described her removal as “a blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism” and rejected any attempt to link her views to the Bondi Beach attack, which killed 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration. Authorities said the attackers were inspired by ISIL (ISIS).

The backlash intensified after former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern withdrew from the festival, joining a boycott that grew to around 180 writers, including former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and novelist Zadie Smith.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, several federal politicians, and a number of Jewish organisations had supported the decision to revoke Abdel-Fattah’s invitation, citing her past statements sharply critical of Zionism and Israel.

Adler accused pro-Israel lobby groups of exerting extreme political pressure and fostering a chilling effect on speech, arguing that the phrase “Bondi changed everything” had been weaponised to justify censorship.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a national day of mourning on January 22 to honour victims of the Bondi Beach attack, with flags to be flown at half-mast across Commonwealth buildings.