Belgian prime minister shows support for Israeli conductor barred from Ghent festival

A surprise visit took place on Saturday night at the Arts Hall in the German city of Essen, during a concert by the Munich Philharmonic conducted by Lahav Shani.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever came to express his support for the Israeli conductor, who was recently barred along with his orchestra from the Flanders Festival in the Belgian city of Ghent.

"I just attended a wonderful performance in Essen by the Munich Philharmonic conducted by Lahav Shani," De Wever wrote. "There will never be a place for racism or antisemitism in this country (Belgium). That’s where I draw the line. Therefore, I strongly condemn the recent cancellation of the Munich Philharmonic by the Flanders Festival in Ghent, solely based on the origin of conductor Lahav Shani. I insisted on conveying this message to him personally and expressing my appreciation for his contribution to the power of music."

However, the Belgian prime minister also voiced criticism of Israeli policy, tweeting on 𝕏:

"Immediately after Hamas's horrific terrorist attack, I expressed concern that the Israeli government would allow itself to be dragged into a never-ending violent conflict in Gaza. Unfortunately, that fear has materialized, with all the terrible consequences that entails. This is why Belgium supports all targeted sanctions proposed by the EU to bring an end to the war."