Flanders Festival Ghent says it made decision over lack of ‘clarity’ about incoming conductor Lahav Shani’s views.
While Shani had spoken in favour of “peace and reconciliation” in the past, his attitude towards the “genocidal regime in Tel Aviv” was unclear given his role as the chief conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the festival organisers said.
nitpick: they were banned not from a country, but from a music hall; no?
Yes, actually that’s fair. A German Philharmonic was canceled from a Belgian festival simply because the conductor is Israeli.
Based on the comments and vote, it seems that most people here think that is justified and appropriate.