German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is set to raise the cancellation of the Munich Philharmonic and its Israeli conductor, Lahav Shani, from a music festival in Ghent, Belgium, with his Belgian counterpart, Bernard Qintin.
Speaking to television channel “Welt” on Friday, Dobrindt described the situation as “absolutely unacceptable”. He stated his intention to address the issue during an upcoming meeting with the Belgian Interior Minister, acknowledging that while not directly responsible, such incidents warrant discussion between nations. He characterized the cancellation as a “very, very, very disturbing” development.
Earlier in the week, Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer formally protested the orchestra’s cancellation in writing to the Belgian government. He confirmed sending a letter to his Belgian counterpart and activating communication through the Foreign Ministry, emphasizing that the German government does not accept the decision. Weimer compared the situation to “the darkest times of the 20th century” referencing instances where artists were banned due to their Jewish heritage or Israeli origin.
The festival organizers had accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The decision to cancel Shani was reportedly based on his role as chief conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and perceived ambiguity regarding his stance on the ongoing conflict.