Exclusion of Palestinian academic from Australian festival sparks anger, cause resignations

CANBERRA, Jan. 12 (YPA) – A number of members of a cultural festival’s board in Adelaide, Australia, were angry and submitted their resignations, because of a decision of exclusion an Australian-Palestinian academic from the festival in Adelaide, Australiaĺ, and her replacement with an American commentator supportive of the Israeli occupation, in addition to withdrawals among participants.

The sources said that the three resignations followed the withdrawal of 70 participants from the Book Week program after the invitation to academic and writer Randa Abdel Fattah was withdrawn.

It should be noted that the Adelaide Festival is facing an unprecedented leadership crisis after the resignation of three board members, journalist Daniela Riterto, businessman Donny Walford, and lawyer Nick Linkey, who decided to resign at a board meeting on Saturday following the decision to exclude Abdel Fattah from the 2026 Book Week program.

Sources commented that the sudden departure followed the withdrawal of 70 writers from the festival scheduled for next month, and it remains unclear how the festival will achieve a quorum, whereas the Act states that there must be at least two men and two women, which could hinder its legal authority to make decisions regarding the 2026 event.