Participants such as Zadie Smith and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern canceled their performances after Randa Abdel-Fattah was prevented from appearing over fears that her criticism of Israel would be perceived as "culturally sensitive" following the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney in December BBC.
The festival's special writers' week has therefore been completely canceled and management has apologized to Randa Abdel-Fattah - which Abdel-Fattah has not accepted.
"It is clear that management's regret is about how they conveyed their decision to stop me, not the decision itself," Abdel-Fattah writes on Instagram, ABC reports.
A new management team has been appointed by the South Australian government in hopes of securing the festival's future. This year's cultural festival opens on February 27 and ends on March 15.
