Writers Festival Apologises to Anti-Israel Author as She Launches Lawsuit Against SA Premier

Adelaide Writers’ Week had to be cancelled after over 100 authors withdrew and board members resigned after Randa Abdel-Fattah was dumped from the line-up.A supplied undated image obtained Jan. 8, 2026, shows academic and lawyer Randa Abdel-Fattah posing for a portrait in Sydney, Australia. PR Image/Supplied by Macquarie University1/14/2026|Updated: 1/14/2026The board of the Adelaide Writers’ Week literary festival has apologised to Randa Abdel-Fattah for excluding her from this year’s event and has promised her a spot at its 2027 edition.The ardent Israel-critic was dumped on Jan. 8 after the former board cited “cultural sensitivity” after the Bondi terror attack as the reason it withdrew her invitation.Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.Author’s Selected Articles