Munich Philharmonic to be deprived of festival in Belgium due to Israeli conductor

The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra's participation in the Flanders Festival in Ghent, Belgium, has been canceled because its Israeli conductor's position on the Gaza offensive is not considered clear enough, organizers said Wednesday, prompting a furious reaction from Berlin.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot also criticized the decision on Thursday, September 11. "It seems excessive to me. We must not conflate the Jewish community, the Israelis, and Mr. Netanyahu's policies, which a large part of Israeli public opinion condemns , " he told French-language public radio RTBF.

The German orchestra was scheduled to perform on September 18 in Ghent (western Belgium) under the direction of 36-year-old Israeli conductor Lahav Shani. Shani, who is due to take up his duties as head of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2026-2027 season, is currently music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

For this reason, the festival organizers indicated on the festival website that they "are not able to provide sufficient clarity regarding their attitude" towards the Israeli government's actions in Gaza.

"We have chosen to renounce collaboration with partners who have not unequivocally distanced themselves from this regime," the statement justifies, noting nevertheless that Lahav Shani had "spoken out on several occasions in favor of peace and reconciliation in the past." To justify their decision, the organizers of the Flanders Festival however argue that since "the current situation" provokes "emotional reactions," they wish to "maintain the serenity" of the event.

German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer called the decision "a disgrace for Europe. Under the guise of supposed criticism of Israel, this is a cultural boycott." Germany has traditionally been one of Israel's closest allies, although Berlin has become more critical as Israel's military campaign in Gaza has intensified, creating catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory.