Festival organizers: "We have reversed the decision and will reinvite her Randa Abdel-Fattah announces acceptance of the festival's apology

The Adelaide Writers’ Festival, one of Australia’s leading cultural events, issued an apology for canceling the invitation of Palestinian writer and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, retracting claims that her participation might provoke "cultural sensitivities" following the armed attack on a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach.

The previous decision led the festival to cancel the famous Writers’ Week on Tuesday, after dozens of invitees withdrew and several board members, including the festival chair, resigned in protest over the treatment of Abdel-Fattah.

In a subsequent statement, festival organizers confirmed: "We have reversed the decision and will reinvite Dr. Abdel-Fattah to participate in the next Adelaide Writers’ Week in 2027."

The annual cultural event, considered the most prominent in Australia and attracting intellectuals from around the world, sparked widespread controversy last week when Abdel-Fattah was informed that her presence was no longer welcome at the Writers’ Week events. At the time, organizers justified the decision by stating that "continuing her programming was not appropriate for the cultural sensitivities during this sensitive period following the Bondi incident."

In the new statement, the festival added: "We retract this statement and apologize to Dr. Abdel-Fattah for any harm caused by the Adelaide Festival organization." Abdel-Fattah confirmed her acceptance of the apology, noting that it acknowledges her right "to speak openly and truthfully about the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people."

Abdel-Fattah had previously faced criticism for some of her statements, including a post on X in October 2024 in which she wrote: "The goal is to end colonialism and dismantle this murderous Zionist colony."

Australian media reported that her exclusion led to the withdrawal of about 180 participants from the festival, which runs from February 27 to March 15, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The director of Writers’ Week, Louise Adler, also resigned in protest of the decision, stating that the board had been pressured by what she described as "extreme and coercive efforts by pro-Israel lobby groups."

The Bondi Beach attack occurred on Sunday, December 14, when the attackers, Naveed Akram and his father Sajid, fired about forty shots over roughly ten minutes at a crowd celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, resulting in the deaths of 15 people.