Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah appeared at the Constellations literary event in Adelaide on Sunday, speaking to a sold-out crowd about the Gaza war and media coverage. The event, organized by South Australia's literary community, replaced the canceled Adelaide Writers' Week.
Abdel-Fattah criticized journalists for not believing Palestinian accounts earlier in the conflict, stating, 'What I'm angriest about as a Palestinian is all of this was preventable.' She accused the media of 'manufacturing consent for this genocide.'
Former Adelaide Writers' Week director Louise Adler, who interviewed Abdel-Fattah, accused the media of 'extraordinary' disrespect and 'fact-free' reporting. Adler noted she had planned to include three Palestinian and 12 Jewish writers in the original line-up.
The cancellation of Adelaide Writers' Week followed the festival board's decision to rescind Abdel-Fattah's invitation due to her past comments on Israel and Zionism. This led to a mass author boycott, board resignations, and the appointment of a new board.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who hosted the event, called the cancellation 'political' and an act of 'fear of dissent.' Abdel-Fattah is also scheduled to appear at Sydney Writers' Week in May.
