The Adelaide Festival Board has been accused of anti-Palestinian racism after it chose to cancel Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah’s appearance at Adelaide’s Writers’ Week due to her “past statements” not being “culturally sensitive” so soon after the Bondi massacre.
Adelaide Writers’ Week is a large literary festival held annually in the South Australian capital. Abdel-Fattah is an Australian sociologist, writer, and Palestinian advocate.
Abdel-Fattah's pro-Palestinian activism
A day after the October 7 massacre, she posted a graphic of a Hamas terrorist paragliding into Israel with a Palestinian flag as the parachute.
She has consistently accused Jews of weaponizing the Holocaust and has denied the atrocities on October 7.
That very day, she posted on social media: “All the Zionists staying up tonight hammering out op-eds at their keyboards. Brace yourselves for the ‘colonizer cries victim’ op-eds taking up prime space in establishment media in the next few days.”
On Thursday, the Board advised Abdel-Fattah that it does not wish to proceed with her scheduled appearance at next month’s Writers’ Week.
“Whilst we do not suggest in any way that Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah or her writings have any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements, we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi,” the Board said.
The Board added that it recognizes the decision will likely disappoint many and may cause discomfort and pressure to other participants.
It confirmed that the decision was communicated to the State Government after having regular discussions following the tragic events at Bondi.
In response, Abdel-Fattah released a statement calling the decision “egregiously racist” and a “blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism and censorship.”
She accused the Board of stripping her of her humanity and agency. She added that labeling her presence as “culturally insensitive” suggests she would trigger those in mourning, and therefore her presence as a Palestinian is “unsafe.”
“After two years of Israel’s live-streamed genocide of Palestinians, Australian arts and cultural institutions continue to reveal their utter contempt and inhumanity towards Palestinians,” she said.
As a result of the Board’s decision, multiple writers and institutes have withdrawn from the festival.
This includes the Australian Institute, which said that “canceling authors is not in the spirit of an open and free exchange of ideas.”
Other authors who have withdrawn are Michelle de Kretser, Melissa Lucashenko, Peter Greste, Yanis Varoufakis, Evelyn Araluen, Amy McQuire, Clare Wright, Chelsea Watego, Bernadette Brennan, Karen Wyld, and Amy Remeikis.