"They Surrendered to Terror": Literature Festival in Spain Cancels Appearance of Jewish Writer

The CULTUR.ALH international literature festival in Granada canceled at the last minute the participation of Jewish-Argentinian writer Ariana Harwicz, following pressure from pro-Palestinian groups who opposed her firm stance against the cultural boycott of Israel. The festival director confirmed that Harwicz's position sparked the opposition. Harwicz claimed the cancellation was due to her being Jewish and described it as a "purge" of creators. The University of Granada distanced itself from the decision.

The CULTUR.ALH international literature festival, which opened on September 21, 2026 in Granada, Spain, canceled at the last minute the participation of Jewish-Argentinian writer Ariana Harwicz. The cancellation came after pressure from pro-Palestinian student groups and activists who opposed Harwicz's firm stance against the cultural boycott of Israel. Festival director Patricia Escalona confirmed to the newspaper El País that Harwicz's position sparked the opposition, explaining that fear of protests prevented the event from taking place in the city square. Harwicz posted on X that the organizers "surrendered to terror" and that the cancellation was due to her being Jewish, aiming to ostracize her. She said it was a "purge" of writers, filmmakers, and musicians, and that the cultural elite calls for violence in the name of humanism. The University of Granada, which organizes the festival to mark its 500th anniversary, distanced itself from the decision, emphasizing that a public institution should be an open space for critical thought. The pro-Palestinian group rejected the claims, noting it had asked to reconsider participation without threats. The Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain condemned the decision.