Adelaide Festival: Silencing Palestinian Voices Is Not 'Free Speech'
The Guardian applauds Louise Adler for her principled resignation from Adelaide Writers’ Week, stating she 'cannot be party to silencing writers' after the board disinvited Randa Abdel-Fattah. This dramatic exit implies a shocking, isolated incident. Yet, for decades, Palestinian artists, academics, and voices like Abdel-Fattah's have faced systemic cancellation and censorship across cultural
institutions globally. This isn't a new phenomenon; it’s business as usual for those whose narratives challenge the status quo, often under pressure from those who conflate criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism. While Adler's move appears noble, it distracts from the deeper issue: why was Abdel-Fattah disinvited in the first place? It's often the financial leverage of influential
lobby groups, coupled with political pressure, that leads to such decisions. The 'free speech' celebrated in Western democracies apparently has conditions, especially when it comes to advocating for Palestine. One might wonder, how many similar acts of 'silencing' occur unnoticed, without a high-profile resignation to spotlight them?