<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian-Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah has been invited to the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="_blank" title="Sydney "><span>Sydney</span></a><span> Writers Festival, weeks after her irreparable axing from the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/adelaide" rel="" target="_blank" title="Adelaide "><span>Adelaide</span></a><span> Writers' Festival.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Abdel-Fattah will speak about her new book at two of the festival events in May.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sydney Writers' Festival chief executive Brooke Webb and artistic director Ann Mossop said in a joint statement that their event aims to reflect the "many and varied communities" of writers.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/health-insurance-2026-biggest-average-premium-hike-since-2017-to-push-many-households-to-the-edge/e1206a6b-0f7b-44ad-b415-e6d6bf48be17" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Health insurance hike to 'push many households to the edge'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A festival like ours, which holds freedom of expression as a core value, is not in the business of cancelling or censoring writers," they said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We think a writers' festival provides a rare and welcome opportunity for readers and writers to come together for nuanced conversations about complex and sometimes difficult topics.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Readers can make up their own minds about what they would like to attend. Without writers, there is no festival."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/randa-abdel-fattah-palestinian-author-invited-to-sydney-writers-festival/27855856-16ab-412f-825b-bbb8f28c3730" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Abdel-Fattah was axed from the Adelaide Writers' Week last month due to "cultural sensitivities" following the Bondi attack over comments she made about Zionists, which she explained to the ABC were about the Zionist ideology and not Jewish people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her cancellation led to hundreds of writers withdrawing from the event, the entire Adelaide Festival board resigning, and the event being canned.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/adelaide-writers-week-randa-abdelfattah-reinvited-to-future-event/f32f841b-a347-48e7-b62a-2a2547886ef8" rel="" target="_blank" title="new board has apologised and reinvited Abdel-Fattah"><span>new board has apologised and reinvited Abdel-Fattah</span></a><span> to next year's event.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-cafes-and-restaurants-hit-crisis-point/4a254438-9ed0-456d-bd6d-add45dc7ff8b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>One in ten cafes and restaurants went out of business last year</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-south-wales" rel="" target="_blank" title="NSW "><span>NSW</span></a><span> Premier Chris Minns recently criticised the Newcastle Writers' Festival's decision to invite her to their event, but said he would not intervene.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't know why these organisations do it," he said last month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think they are crazy to invite that author when you think about how divisive it is, and how difficult it would be for the organisation as a result of the notoriety."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Sydney Writers' Festival engages closely with the government and stakeholders. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Webb and Mossop said they remain an independent event and will program their event accordingly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We respect that public figures and members of the community may hold different views. They are entitled to do so," they said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>