Notices by KarenWyld (karenwyld@aus.social)

Bye bye Whiting (Chair of Adelaide Festival Board, destroyer of a beloved writers festival). Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[That's a photo of reknowned Palestinian Australian scholar, writer, and a good peep, Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-11/fallout-amid-writers-week-cancellation-of-randa-abdel-fattah/106217646

Earlier today, the Adelaide Festival Board sent an email to all invited speakers and chairs at this year's Adelaide Writers Week. Through their actions, they've clearly undermined the AWW team and disrespected Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah by uninviting her.

The list of national and international writers now boycotting this once-prestigous event is growing. And First Nations writers are strongly standing in solidarity with Randa Abdel-Fattah.

This was my response to the Board, briefly outlining why I'm withdrawing as a panel chair:

I firmly believe the Adelaide Festival Board's decision to de-platform Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah at Adelaide Writers Week 2026 is a blatant act of anti-Palestinian racism. As an Aboriginal writer, I strongly condemn racism in any form. Discrimination should never be tolerated at writing and reading events in Australia. If this ill-conceived decision to silence Dr Abdel-Fattah, at a time when Palestinian voices are greatly needed, is not reversed then I cannot morally or ethically participate in the sessions I was scheduled to chair this year.

Dr Abdel-Fattah is a highly respected academic and writer who has published a novel that enriches Australian literature, at a time in history when the world continues to witness and mourn the live-stream genocide of Palestinian people. The cancellation of her session will be a great disappointment for many regular attendees of AWW. The Adelaide Festival Board has tarnished the reputation of a treasured South Australian arts event. I urge the Board to reconsider their decision.

Ren Wyld

Me seeing latest news: fucking hell, USA government

A timely article, by David Slucki, a Jewish Australian scholoar, on the lack of consensus for the term 'zionism' within Jewish communities > https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/28/what-does-zionism-mean-different-things-people-antisemitism-ntwnfb

I don't have to agree with every point within an article, but as an outsider it's important to listen to diverse (non-bigoted) own-voice views. Being open to listening doesn't disrupt my decolonisation stance against genocide, apartheid, settler-colonialism, state violence etc - but it does allow me to see bigger pictures.

Standout quotes:

"Among Jews the meaning of the term has evolved – but there is still no consensus. And when people talk past one another there are real-world consequences."

"Because Zionism carries multiple and often conflicting interpretations, recognising this diversity is essential to fostering informed dialogue, empathy and intellectual honesty. Understanding Jewish intergenerational trauma and the trauma Palestinians carry from decades of occupation would make the conversation harder to weaponise and easier to humanise. And recognising the historical, religious and cultural significance of the land to both Jews and Palestinians will help us to have a more robust public conversation."

Novara Media: "Italy has said it is sending a navy ship to the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto strongly condemned the overnight drone attack on the flotilla, which is trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In a statement, Crosetto said he had redirected an Italian navy ship to head towards the flotilla to offer assistance to Italian citizens on board - and Israel had been informed.

"Regarding the attack suffered in recent hours by the Sumud Flotilla vessels, which also include Italian citizens, carried out using drones by currently unidentified perpetrators, we can only express the strongest condemnation. In a democracy, even demonstrations and protests must be protected when they are conducted in compliance with international law and without resorting to violence,” he said.

“To ensure assistance to the Italian citizens on the ‘Flotilla,’ this morning at 3:50 a.m … I spoke with the Prime Minister and authorized the immediate intervention of the Italian Navy's multi-purpose frigate Fasan, which was sailing north of Crete as part of Operation Mare Sicuro. The frigate is already en route to the area for possible rescue operations.

"The Israeli Military Attaché in Italy, our Ambassador and the Military Attaché in Tel Aviv, and the Crisis Unit of the Farnesina have been informed of this decision.”

There are currently three interconnected movements occurring at the same time. And they're all headed for Gaza.

Sumud - the overland convoy to break the siege on Gaza started in Tunisia - a few says ago, volunteers from Algiers, Morocco and Tunisia formed a convoy of 100s of buses and cars. They've been cheered by thousands of onlookers as they travel towards Egypt, with more and more people joining them along the way.

March to Gaza - thousands of people are currently flying to Cairo, from over fifty nations. There, they'll meet up with the Sumud convoy. And everyone will walk across the desert to the Rafah crossing.

Freedom Flotilla Coalition - more ships are being prepared to sail to the Gaza coast.

https://freedomflotilla.org/2025/05/20/joint-statement-we-are-headed-to-gaza-by-land-sea-and-air/

Breaking the siege on Gaza — by land, sea, and air!

#FreePalestine #FreedomFlotilla #Sumud #Gaza

South Africa led the ICJ genocide case against state of Israel. Now, North Africa is aiming to break apartheid Israel's siege on Palestine.

May the 1,000s of brave people from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia safely reach the Rafah crossing, to support Palestine.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/north-africa-convoy-heads-gaza-break-israel-siege

These land convoys will meet up with 100s of international supporters who are travelling to Egypt. And they'll all walk together to the Rafah crossing. 1,000s of people from over 32 countries are participating in this ground-breaking march to break apartheid Israel's siege on Palestine.
✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

https://www.newarab.com/news/global-convoy-begin-march-rafah-demand-end-gaza-siege

There's also plans for more boats to travel to the Gaza coastline, at the same time as this march to the Rafah crossing.

Travelling by road, arriving by plane, walking through deserts, sailing across the waters - this will be a momentous moment. People power to break apartheid Israel's siege on sovereign Palestine - because our governments refused to take action or cease their complicity in genocide.

Palestine will be free, from the river to the sea 🇵🇸

A few weeks have now passed since the Queensland Government took away my literary fellowship and $15,000 award money for speaking up against genocide, and what I am still sure of:

I did nothing wrong. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I have no regrets.

The shame is in staying silent, letting fear win, allowing bullies to silence us.

What is wrong is the state of Israel's crimes against humanity in Palestine, and the states who are complicit in this genocide.

From the river to the sea,
Always was always will be.

This is a great (paid) opportunity for First Nations writers and emerging critics (in South Australia) who're interested in writing & publishing art/book reviews. I was a mentor last year, and look forward to mentoring someone this year.

https://www.indailysa.com.au/inreview/mentorships/2025/05/12/calling-emerging-first-nations-writers-and-critics

The emergence of blogs pretending to be news outlets/journalists is one of the Four Horsepersons of the Apocalypse.

No one is interested in your racist dog whistles, with added ableist language. Or your so-not-hot scaremongering political takes.

Put your website to good use, and instead share your erotic alien tales or slipstream Jane Austin fan fiction, like all good bloggers.

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free

🫱🏿🫲🏾

Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land

✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏼

Liberation is possible.
Land back is possible.

Earlier this year, many of you contributed to Ahmed Issa's crowdfund (who'd I met at Palestine Writes festival last year), to help him and his young family escape from the genocide. I forgot to post follow up news: he did escape to safety, with his wife and two sons. And is applying to universities to continue his education.

Ahmed promised to pay it forward if he got out, and he's indeed been doing that. He's set up a scholarship program to mentor tertiary students in Gaza. He needs financial support to continue this work > https://gofund.me/ee7f3f8a

Now, the sad news.

Sha'aban al-Dalo, the young man that Israel murdered with fire yesterday, was a student supported by this Scholarships for Gaza. Shaaban had earlier been injured in a bombing attack when he was sheltering outside of al-Asqa hospital. He was then treated, stitches and an IV, and was once again sheltering in a tent outside of the hospital. Israel then burnt him alive. The world watched Shaaban's last - excruciatingly painful - moments.

On Insta, Ahmed Issa's shared his last communication with Shaaban:

@palestine #StopGenocide #Gaza #Palestine

For those that don't boost long posts, here's the crowdfund page for Scholarships for Gaza to share > https://gofund.me/ee7f3f8a

I have personally met Ahmed Issad, and been in communication with him for over about 18 months, and 100% vouch for his integrity and this program.

@palestine #Gaza #Palestine

[Edit: not interested in any "I've never seen any racism on Mastodon" bullshit. I ❤️ to block annoying reply guys]

Bluesky is a bin fire at the moment. A mass sign up of Palestinian people occurred (yes!!!!). But...
Users are mass reporting Palestinian accounts (all social media platforms haven't dealt with anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism). Others are demanding Palestinians "prove" who they are. The Palestinian feed is full of non Palestinians talking about the USA election and centring themselves.
Bluesky mods are suspending Palestinian accounts. Demanding Palestinian people supply ID, and suspending them anyway. So much ant-Palestinian racism, and white people not being mindful of others' safety or humanity.

However, Mastodon is not a beacon of acceptance, anti racism or safety. With a noticeable recent sign up of Palestinian people on Mastodon, similar could soon occur here. As a mod, I know bad faith/racist reporting happens on Mastodon, to silence people - including people who speak up for Palestine or against genocide. And reporting mutual funding is common.

Please, don't be racist, unwelcoming, or cruel. Think hard before reporting Palestinian accounts or crowdfinds. Don't ask for "proof" or start an argument. If you can't donate, boost their posts. Try to understand the trauma, danger, fears, grief, and exhaustion of surviving a genocide. Scroll by or ignore if you have a problem with seeing others in crisis. Better yet, show empathy and solidarity.

Facts

@palestine #FuckIsrael

I love this for him

#Indigenous #FirstNations #AboriginalAndTorresStraitIslanders #Resistance #FuckOffCharlie :aboriginal_australia:

We've all seen the latest horrific images by now, and heard the testimonials. There are no more excuses, no more cover ups, no more reasons not to demand the end of Israel's extreme violence.

Last night (their time), Israel set alight to tents that had been set up outside al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah. Inside these tents, Palestinian people who'd been displaced by Israel's constant attacks on Gaza were sleeping. Days prior, Israel had cut off the food supply and other essential services in that region of northern Gaza. Israel purposely set fire to tired, injured, hungry homeless children, women and men.

This was undoubtedly a holocaust. And it's not the first holocaust that Israel has committed in the past year. These holocausts aren't The Holocaust. They're a series of never-ending holocausts that Israel is wantonly committing. And Israel won't stop committing holocausts - they need to be stopped.

Holocaust: destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear war. From ancient Greek, meaning ‘burnt offering’.

Edit: The term holocaust was used before WWii to describe massacres by fire, because this has been a common method of committing mass atrocities. Settlers in so-called Australia also used fire to massacre First Peoples, for example. The Holocaust of WWii is sometimes capitalised, while other holocausts are not. Using a word that has existed for eons to appropriately describe what Israel is doing to Palestinian people does not trivialise the horrific inhumanities of the Holocaust. If being forced to think about holocausts occurring, right now in Palestine, makes you uncomfortable - then I suggest you sit with that discomfort and reflect, then raise your voice against those that commit holocausts.

#Holocaust #Palestine #StopGenocide @palestine

Finally, we're seeing more Palestinian and other Arabs join Mastodon, and fucking white moderates are politely being intolerant fucking racists. It's as if you want to chase them out of your nice neighbourhoods. Just like you chased off lots of Indigenous people (I stayed out of spite)

Kris Kristofferson has died. Vale

And only now I'm hearing about all the times he supported people, and stood up for human rights. He was using his platform to voice support for Palestine way before many others started to stand up.

"I found a considerable lack of work after doing concerts for Palestinian children.. if that's the way it has to be, that's the way it has to be. If you support human rights, you gotta support them everywhere."
- Kris Kristofferson

today, there are people in shock/disbelief over an article in The Lancet that conservatively estimates the death toll in Gaza to be 186,000+ Palestinians (8% of Gaza) > https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01169-3/fulltext

For those who've been paying attention, and getting information beyond mainstream/biased sources, this is not a shock. It is a very conservative estimate.

The Electronic Intifada published a piece by Susan Abulhawa on 27 June that presented a credible case for a similar death rate >
https://electronicintifada.net/content/math-proves-israels-stated-goals-are-epic-lie/47371

The Lancet (an independent medical journal with a solid global reputation) has stood up, and spoken up. More organisations and publications need to do the same.

Pressure needs to be put on the state of Israel to cease their brutal campaign in Palestine and the West Bank: which includes massacres, torture, designed starvation, ethnic cleansing, destruction of resources and land, expanded settlements, and genocide in Palestine.

The apartheid regime of Israel continues to break international laws and countless human rights. The world helped to dismantle apartheid South Africa. Now it needs to dismantle apartheid Israel.

Free Palestine, from the river to the sea 🍉 ✊🏾

@palestine #Palestine