Anti-Israel scholar Randa Abdel-Fattah’s Queensland book deal to continue, amid grant suspension.

Controversial anti-Israel academic Randa Abdel-Fattah will retain her book deal with the publishing arm of Queensland’s top university.

Macquarie University Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah is a former lawyer, author and prominent Palestine advocate and future fellow at Macquarie University Department of Sociology and has had her book deal greenlit by UQ. Picture: Richard Dobson

Controversial anti-Israel academic Randa Abdel-Fattah will retain her book deal with the publishing arm of Queensland’s top university, despite her actions sparking a freeze on her taxpayer-funded research grant.

The decision by University of Queensland Press to forge ahead with Dr Abdel-Fattah’s book deal has angered Jewish leaders in the state, who have accused UQP of providing her with a platform to spread misinformation and hate.

Dr Abdel-Fattah came under scrutiny after boasting about bending research rules during an appearance at a controversial anti-racism symposium at QUT in January.

The same month she also made an ant-Israel post on social media where she stated “may 2025 be the end of Israel”.

Dr Abdel-Fattah’s comments at QUT ultimately led to the suspension of a $870,000 federal research grant awarded to her for a “hidden history” of Arab/Muslim Australian social movements since the 1970s.

But UQP — an arm of the University of Queensland and one of the country’s leading small publishers — has chosen not to end its relationship with the controversial Macquarie University academic.

After weeks of speculation UQ vice-chancellor Professor Deborah Terry confirmed the book deal would go ahead, saying there was no indications any actions by Dr Abdel-Fattah were unlawful or that incorrect processes were followed.

“On this basis, and considering UQ Press’s editorial independence, UQP will continue to work through the next stages of the Publishing Agreement,” Prof Terry said.

University of Queensland vice-chancellor Professor Deborah Terry. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“Following this decision, the university has committed to a further governance review to ensure that UQ Press are aligning with their agreed mission to publish a diverse range of perspectives.”

Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg “strongly condemned” UQP’s decision and called for it to reconsider publishing her book or risk tarnishing its reputation as a responsible and ethical publisher.

Ms Abdel-Fattah was contacted for comment.

The work of fiction, set to be published in September, was originally titled The Occupation but has since been renamed Discipline.

It’s set against the backdrop of Israel’s 2021 bombing of Gaza, with Dr Abdel-Fattah calling it a novel about the violence enacted on the marginalised and colonised by people who claim to be progressive and on the Left.

“It’s about how the tentacles of the billion-dollar global arms, war and Islamophobia industries reach deep into liberal institutions,” she said.

Mr Steinberg said the use of the word “tentacles” was particularly disturbing as it was language that mirrored the propaganda, perfected by the Nazis, to demonise Jews. There is no suggestion it was used deliberately.

“At a time when Jewish Australians are facing unprecedented levels of hostility and violence, UQP’s decision to publish this book is reckless and dangerous,” he said.

Originally published as Anti-Israel scholar Randa Abdel-Fattah’s Queensland book deal to continue, amid grant suspension.