In what must be a relief to Adelaide’s eastern suburb matrons, they won’t get to hear those advocating the Palestinian cause at this years Writers’ Week.

Australia’s largest law firm, MinterEllison, has cut ties with the Adelaide Festival and Writers’ Week over the inclusion of two Palestinian writers, who have criticised the state of Israel and the Ukraine. Shock. Horror.

Palestinian poet Mohammed El-Kurd and Palestinian writer Susan Abulhawa were invited to speak at Adelaide Writers’ Week, which begins on March 4.

Some of the firm’s staff were worried, anxious and very upset about being associated with anti-semitism and in a classic case of running for cover, the legal yellow backs pulled the plug.

One wonders what the fuck this has to do with the staff. It’s like the staff at the New York publishers boycotting Woody Allen’s autobiography on suspicion that he’s a pedo. Jesus.

Minters chief executive Virginia Briggs said the firm had withdrawn its support for the Writers’ Week and also its entire sponsorship program which covers all areas of the arts.

Thank God.