Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever condemned a decision by the Flanders Festival Ghent to cancel a concert by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra because of its Israeli conductor Lahav Shani.
“This decision has rightfully provoked great consternation and has been characterized as antisemitic,” De Wever wrote on X on Friday morning. “To impose a professional ban on someone solely because of their origin is both reckless and irresponsible.”
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the festival’s organizers said the decision was agreed with Flemish Minister of Culture Caroline Gennez, of the Belgian Social Democrats, and was made in order “to refrain from collaboration with partners who have not distanced themselves unequivocally” from the Israeli government.
De Wever — a Flemish nationalist politician — joins a growing chorus of critics, including Germany’s commissioner for culture, Wolfram Weimer, and Israel’s ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor. Both called the cancellation “antisemitic.”
“Equally troubling is the unprecedented requirement that artists provide written statements of their political views,” De Wever added, referring to the organizers who said they had asked Shani to detail his stance on Israel’s war in Gaza, but he declined to answer.
Contacted by POLITICO, a spokesperson for the festival declined to comment on De Wever’s statement. Festival organizers previously said the cancellation was “in no way motivated by antisemitism.”
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot — a Francophone centrist — also called the organizer’s decision “excessive,” in a radio interview Thursday with public broadcaster RTBF. He emphasized that a person could not take responsible for the political policy of his or her home country.
On Thursday evening, the German embassy in Brussels said that it would stop its cooperation with the Flanders Festival Ghent over the controversy.
Meanwhile, Weimer on Friday announced that the Munich Philharmonic will play a concert in Berlin on Monday.
Shani is the music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and is set to become the chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic for the 2026-2027 season. He had been due to conduct the Philharmonic in Ghent as part of the orchestra’s European tour.
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