Australian writers’ festival apologises to Palestinian author after boycott

In January 2026, the Adelaide Festival in Australia apologized to Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah after a mass boycott by 180 writers led to the cancellation of its writers' week program. The festival board retracted its decision to exclude Abdel-Fattah as a speaker and reinstated her invitation for the 2027 event, citing a failure to uphold intellectual and artistic freedom. The board apologized for the harm caused. Abdel-Fattah accepted the apology as an acknowledgement of the right to speak about atrocities against Palestinians and a vindication against anti-Palestinian racism. While she appreciated the gesture, she has not yet decided if she will accept the invitation to speak next year.

The Adelaide Festival Corporation has publicly apologized to Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah for previously excluding her from this year's event, citing cultural insensitivity. The corporation retracted its statement and invited her to participate in the 2027 Adelaide Writers' Week. Abdel-Fattah accepted the apology, viewing it as a victory against anti-Palestinian bias, and is considering the invitation. The apology follows the resignation of former writers' week director Louise Adler over the cancellation and accusations of hypocrisy from former board member Tony Berg regarding free speech. Berg referenced a 2024 incident where Abdel-Fattah and other academics requested the disinvitation of Thomas Friedman, a New York Times columnist, due to his controversial views on the Middle East conflict.

Palestinian writer and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah has initiated defamation proceedings against South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas. This action stems from the controversy surrounding Abdel-Fattah's removal from the 2026 Adelaide Writers' Week lineup, an event that has since been cancelled. Lawyers representing Abdel-Fattah served a formal concerns notice to the premier on Wednesday. The notice suggests the legal dispute is a direct result of the fallout from her cancellation. The situation highlights the ongoing turmoil surrounding the Adelaide Writers' Week and its future.

Adelaide Writers' Week in Australia was canceled after organizers disinvited Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah due to concerns about cultural sensitivity following a mass shooting targeting Jewish Australians in Bondi Beach. The decision to remove Abdel-Fattah, a critic of Israel, led to approximately 180 writers withdrawing from the festival in protest, including notable figures like Zadie Smith and Jacinda Ardern. The director of the writers' week and half the board resigned, citing concerns about silencing writers and curtailing free speech. Organizers ultimately canceled the event, scheduled for late February, and apologized for the division caused by their initial decision. The board stated the decision reflected a shift in national discourse regarding freedom of expression after the terror attack.

Louise Adler resigned from her position as director of Adelaide Writers' Week after the Adelaide Festival board cancelled Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah's invitation to appear at the literary event. Adler, a prominent figure in Australian literature, stated she could not participate in silencing writers, leading to her resignation. The decision to remove Abdel-Fattah from the program prompted Adler's departure. The Adelaide Writers' Week is an annual event held as part of the larger Adelaide Festival. The specific reasons for Abdel-Fattah's disinvitation by the board were not detailed in the article.