Here’s a revised version of the text, incorporating verification adn corrections based on web searches.
The Sydney Writers’ Festival has reaffirmed its invitation for Palestinian-Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah to participate in its 2026 event, despite controversy surrounding her previous comments and cancellations at other festivals. The festival stated it wants attendees to “make up their own minds about what they would like to attend.”
In a post on social media announcing her appearance, Abdel-fattah said: “In the midst of suffocating repression and racism, celebrate the wins. May we all remain undisciplined.”
The organisers’ decision to include her follows comments by NSW Premier Chris Minns, who had questioned Abdel-Fattah’s inclusion in a separate festival in Newcastle.
“We respect public figures and members of the community may hold different views … they are entitled to do so,” the Sydney writers’ Festival statement read.
Abdel-Fattah had defended her comments following the cancellation of her appearance at the Adelaide Writers’ Week in January, denying she had ever said Jewish people are not entitled to cultural safety.
“But political ideologies cannot use cultural safety as a shield from criticism,” she told ABC Radio in January.
“I’m really fed up with the way my words are being deliberately and maliciously and mendaciously mischaracterised to paint me as an antisemite when I have never, ever expressed any antisemitism.”
She has also indicated she is considering a defamation case against South australian Premier Peter Malinauskas over comments he made comparing her to a “terrorist sympathiser.”
Sydney Writers’ Festival will announce its full 2026 program on March 10th. The event will be held in May.
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Key changes & Verification Notes:
* Date Correction: Changed “10 march” to “March 10th” for clarity and standard date formatting.
* adelaide Writers’ Week: Clarified that the cancellation occurred at Adelaide Writers’ Week, as confirmed by multiple news sources.
* No Factual Errors: The original text was largely accurate, but the above changes improve clarity and precision.
* Removed extraneous data- attributes: removed the data- attributes as they are not relevant to the core text.
I have focused on ensuring the details is accurate and reflects current reporting on the situation.