Sydney writers' festival chair resigns amid debate over Israel-Palestine programming
The festival board confirmed Kathy Shand's resignation on Monday, less than a month before the 2025 lineup of writers, speakers and panelists is due to be announced on 13 March.
Shand, a board member of the Sydney Jewish Museum and a former co-publisher of the Australian Jewish News, wrote in her resignation statement that while artistic freedom and independence were essential, 'freedom of expression cannot and should not be used as a justification to accept language and conversations that compromise the festival as a safe and inclusive space for all audiences'.
'Every session that is planned needs to reflect the values of the festival and represent the highest standard of consideration and curation,' she wrote in her resignation letter, sent to the Sydney Morning Herald.
'The reputation of the Sydney writers' festival has been hard won and is well deserved. This needs to be protected and great care needs to be taken with the stages that carry the imprimatur of the festival. At a time when cultural organisations are faced with challenges I wish the festival well.'
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the board had been engaged in a 'years long tussle over the emphasis placed on presenting a diversity of views on issues such as the Middle East conflict and geopolitics'.
Weeks before Shand's resignation, Guardian Australia was briefed about the 2025 program, and can independently confirm it includes multiple prominent Jewish and Palestinian writers and thinkers. The speakers names remain embargoed until 13 March.
Late on Monday, Robert Watkins, the new chair of the festival and Ultimo Press's publishing director, said the festival was a champion of freedom of speech and respectful debate.
The 2025 program, set for release on 13 March, would 'demonstrably reflect the festival's ongoing commitment to presenting a plurality of voices [and] a diversity of thought', Watkins' statement said.
'This includes both Jewish and Palestinian writers and thought leaders. The board are united and supportive of the 2025 program,' he wrote, also praising Shand's 'dedication to championing writers and fostering meaningful engagement'.
Since the conflict in Gaza erupted in October 2023, a steady flow of resignations and calls for boycotts have plagued literary festivals and arts organisations.
Most recently, Creative Australia dumped artist Khaled Sabsabi as Australia's representative at the 2026 Venice Biennale, over past works by the Lebanese-born Australian artist that involved imagery of the now dead Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. That decision that has been widely condemned by prominent artists and art organisations.
At the 2024 Melbourne writers' festival, deputy chair of the board Dr Leslie Reti resigned over the programming of a poetry session involving Aboriginal and Palestinian poets reading their work and sharing their experiences of being colonised.
At last year's Perth writers' festival, an open letter signed by more than 500 writers and arts workers called for the deplatforming of Jewish singer-songwriter Deborah Conway over her previous comments in support of Israel.
Some Jewish figures also called for feminist writer Clementine Ford to be banned from the 2024 Adelaide writers' week due to her social media posts opposing Israel's actions in Gaza.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘I will not enlist in an army committing genocide': Meet the Israeli teens refusing Netanyahu's war on Gaza
Yona, 19, an Israeli activist, burned her military conscription papers knowing she would be immediately sentenced to jail. She is blunt in her reasoning for doing so. 'I am refusing because my country is committing genocide and I will not enlist into an army that's committing genocide,' she says. 'I have no doubts in my mind that this is the right thing to do.' She is part of a growing movement of Israeli teenagers refusing the draft and taking a stand against the Israeli government's 22-month devastating bombardment of Gaza. Shortly after burning her papers outside the enlistment centre in Haifa at the weekend, she was sentenced to 30 days in prison. Speaking to The Independent just before being incarcerated, Yona, a transgender woman, said she knew prison wouldn't be easy: the last transgender woman 'refusenik' was held in solitary confinement. But she remains determined. 'I think it's a very simple moral and political question. The imperative is that we withhold ourselves as a resource from the state. That we do everything in our power to resist and end this horrible crime.' She is part of a movement of youth, most of them members of Mesarvot - or 'refusers' in Hebrew - that supports conscientious objectors, that are horrified by Israel's war in Gaza. They have staged regular protests, publicly burning their papers and marching towards the border crossing with Gaza to break Israel's blockade on the besieged strip. Alongside the refuseniks, there has also been a parallel surge in soldiers reusing to show up to reserve duty - with reports in Israeli media saying in the last major offensive that as many as 100,000 have effectively deserted. Fury over the war increased inside Israel after Benjamin Netanyahu and his security cabinet controversially recently green-lit an expansion of the current offensive in Gaza. The Israeli government has repeatedly denied there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza or that the military has committing any crimes in the enclave. But it is facing growing backlash internationally and from inside Israel. Palestinian health officials say Israel's bombardment and blockade has killed over 61,000 people. The United Nations says the war has sparked unfolding famine and seen more than 90 per cent of the 2.3 million strong population forced to flee their homes. On Saturday night, hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv and other cities, demanding an end to the war and the immediate ceasefire deal to secure the return of the remaining 50 hostages and captives held by Hamas in Gaza. At the protests, family members of the hostages are publicly calling for reservists to refuse to serve in the upcoming military escalation. For the youth, they are protesting about even joining the army in the first place. The death toll among IDF soldiers is now nearing 900. At least 20 refuseniks have served prison time since October 2023, explains Iddo Elam, 19, another Israeli activist who refused to enlist in November and was jailed before being handed an exemption on mental health grounds. He had a strong message for his fellow teenagers: 'It'll be on your record that you were an IDF soldier, or that you were a refusenik... 'Think whether or not you want to go around the world as a former IDF soldier. We are almost two years into this genocide - or war, as many Israelis call it - but nothing has been achieved. Nothing has changed. Nothing. 'We cannot stop terrorism. We cannot stop attacks on the Israeli state as long as we participate in - and basically live with - the occupation and oppression of millions of [Palestinian] people.' While Iddo and Yona admit those refusing to fight because of the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza is a relatively small number, it is growing. Tal Mitnik, another activist from Tel Aviv, turned 18 shortly after war erupted and so was the first public conscientious objector. He spent six months in prison, which was 'nothing like what the Palestinian prisoners are dealing with'. He said he was on his own at the beginning but that has changed: 'I think an important thing to say is that what we lose with Israeli society is what we gain with Palestinian society.' Earlier this month, Netanyahu and his security cabinet pushed through a controversial plan to expand the war in Gaza, stating the the ultimate goal was to disarm Hamas, return the hostages and to exert 'Israeli security control' over the besieged strip - i.e. a boots-on-the-ground occupation. It has faced fierce resistance from the international community, as well as opposition from within. Sources said even Netanyahu's own Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, rejected the plan. Many in Israel fear it will not only embroil the Israeli military in a costly, protracted, and unwinnable conflict, but also serve as a 'death sentence' for the 20 remaining hostages who are still believed to be alive. It could also crush the hopes of retrieving the bodies of 30 more slain captives who remain in the hands of militants. The Israeli military declined to comment on the numbers of those who have refused reserve service or their conscription papers. They said the military 'cherishes' all of its soldiers, expressing 'deep appreciation for their great contribution'. 'In this challenging security reality, the contribution of the reservists is essential to the success of missions and to maintaining the security of the country,' they said in a statement. According to Kan, Israel's national broadcaster, during the last offensive in May, over 40 percent of soldiers did not show up to reserve duty – a stark contrast to the start of the conflict, when Israeli media reported that 135 percent of people showed up. Ishai Menuchin, spokesperson for Yesh Gvul - an Israeli movement that also supports refuseniks and reservists who do not want to fight - said their hotline, which usually only gets 30 calls a year, has received more than 200 calls since January alone. 'It's the highest wave of refusal since we were founded at the start of the 1982 Lebanon war,' he told The Independent, explaining how he himself spent 35 days in prison for refusing service. He said the true number of refusniks is difficult to calculate as the military is now pushing through exemptions: 'There is a policy not to deal with ideological refusal - they are afraid of the numbers.' Iddo agreed - saying they are now exempting refuseniks on mental health grounds rather than jailing them, as they 'would rather give young people exemptions than to deal with hundreds of people in prisons'. He had a strong message for Israel's western allies, including the UK and the US, to take a stand against the Israeli military and impose arms embargoes. 'At the end of the day, the butterfly effect to stop this genocide will just start with one phone call from each leader – and one phone call from Trump telling Netanyahu to stop. We cannot do it alone. We have to have international help.'
ITV News
17 minutes ago
- ITV News
Home Secretary: Palestine Action 'more than a regular protest group'
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has labelled Palestine Action more than 'a regular protest group' as she defended the group's proscription as a terrorist organisation. She said protest and free speech remain a part of democracy, which will always be protected, but argued Palestine Action has carried out 'an escalating campaign'. Writing in The Observer, she said: 'Some may think it is a regular protest group known for occasional stunts. But that is not the extent of its past activities.' Cooper said counterterrorism intelligence showed the organisation passed the tests to be proscribed under the 2000 Terrorism Act with 'disturbing information' about future attacks. 'Protecting public safety and national security are at the very heart of the job I do,' she said. 'Were there to be further serious attacks or injuries, the government would rightly be condemned for not acting sooner to keep people safe.' She said only a tiny minority of people who had protested in support of Palestinian people since the start of the war with Israel had been arrested. 'That is why the proscription of this group is not about protest or the Palestinian cause,' she said. 'In a democracy, lawful protest is a fundamental right but violent criminality is not." The Metropolitan Police said on Friday more than 700 people have been arrested since the group was banned on July 5. The force said a further 60 people will be prosecuted for support of Palestine Action, while Norfolk Police said on Saturday 13 people were arrested at a protest in Norwich. Last week, the Met confirmed the first three charges in England and Wales for offences under the Terrorism Act relating to Palestine Action. The three people charged were arrested at a protest in Parliament Square on July 5. More prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks, and arrangements have been put in place 'that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary', the Met said. From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below...
ITV News
41 minutes ago
- ITV News
Letter signed by NI politicians urging Sir Keir Starmer to recall Parliament over Gaza war
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to recall Parliament to 'impose immediate sanctions' on Israel in a joint letter signed by politicians in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The letter urges the Prime Minister to 'act now' to exert pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. It has been signed by Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, SDLP leader Claire Hanna, the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and the convener of the party's Holyrood group Stuart McMillan. Other co-signatories include co-leader Lorna Slater of Scottish Greens, Alistair Carmichael from the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth and Plaid Cymru's Westminster group leader Liz Saville Roberts, and People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll. The letter says: 'The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza is both man-made and avoidable. 'It is characterised not only by relentless bombardment and destruction, but by the deliberate creation of conditions that are starving a civilian population. 'The blocking of food, water, and medical supplies has precipitated what UN agencies and humanitarian experts describe as a man-made famine; one that is rapidly claiming lives and inflicting irreparable harm on an already traumatised population.' It calls upon Sir Keir to recall Parliament and impose sanctions on Israel and to 'support a ceasefire and meaningful diplomatic intervention to protect civilians and secure a just, lasting peace'. It also calls for an immediate end to all arms sales to Israel, support for an 'independent, international investigations into alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide in Gaza'. The letter also says the UK should use its 'diplomatic influence to press for the unimpeded delivery of food, water, medicine, and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza'. It adds: 'The UK's moral standing and commitment to human rights will be measured by its response to this crisis. 'We urge you to act decisively by standing against the man-made famine, the mass killing of children, and the broader assault on civilian life. 'History will remember whether we chose to remain silent or to stand on the side of humanity.' SDLP leader Ms Hanna said 'ever growing numbers of people across these islands have shown their horror and anguish' at events in Gaza. She added: 'The situation is deteriorating, with more people dying every day. 'The people of Gaza don't have the luxury of waiting any longer for the UK Government to act. 'Today the SDLP is leading parties in giving voice to the despair and anger at the UK Government's failure to stand up to Netanyahu. 'Our voice may be the only tool we have, but together it is a powerful one – reflecting the depth of feeling of our constituents and highlighting the failure of the Prime Minister and his government to do all in their power to protect the people of Gaza.' The Prime Minister has previously said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel meets certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.
