Adelaide Writers Week canceled as 180 speakers withdraw after the exclusion of a Palestinian writer

Organizers of Australia’s largest free literary festival canceled the event after over 180 writers withdrew due to the exclusion of an Australian-Palestinian writer, Randa Abdel-Fattah, citing cultural sensitivities following a recent antisemitic attack. Abdel-Fattah criticized the decision as censorship and anti-Palestinian racism. The cancellation led to the resignation of the festival’s director and board members, and several high-profile speakers, including Zadie Smith and Jacinda Ardern, also withdrew in protest.