A prominent German orchestra had its performance at Belgium’s Flanders Festival Ghent cancelled over ‘concerns’ about its Israeli conductor, Lahav Shani.
Festival organizers said of the Munich Philharmonic member that they were “unable to provide sufficient clarity about his attitude” towards the Israeli government amid its ongoing conflict in Gaza.
German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer criticized the decision as a “disgrace for Europe,” calling it a cultural boycott under the guise of criticism of Israel. His comments come at a time of rising antisemitism in Germany.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot also responded, describing the cancellation as “excessive,” and warning against conflating individual Israelis with the policies of their prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
The move has sparked a heated debate over cultural events and politics, highlighting tensions in Europe over responses to the conflict in Gaza. Increasingly, the arts and ‘creative’ industries appear hostile to Jews. This was highlighted by recent UK-based cases at the Edinburgh Fringe and Royal Opera House, showing the worrying growth of intolerance toward Jewish artists in the cultural sector.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, in a comment to europeanconservative.com, said,
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra expresses its profound regret and firmly condemns the decision made by the Flanders Festival Ghent. In the world of music and art, there is simply no place for withdrawing an invitation based on one’s place of origin. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Munich Philharmonic for their steadfast support of Lahav Shani, and we send Lahav a warm embrace of solidarity and encouragement.
