Prime Minister Bart De Wever has taken the unusual step of speaking out against an arts festival for making a political decision to ban the Israeli conductor Lahav Shani with the Munich Philharmonic orchestra. The Flemish Culture Minister Caroline Gennez had previously announced her support for the disinvitation, as had other politicians.
The reason given by the Flanders festival was that there was ‘insufficient clarity regarding the conductor’s attitude toward the genocidal regime.’
De Wever said: ‘This decision is causing great consternation in Germany and is being described as antisemitic. ‘Imposing a professional ban on someone solely because of their background is reckless and irresponsible, to say the least.’
He added that this was the opposite of artistic freedom and tarnished the reputation of Flanders and of Belgium as a whole.
Most local comment on the ban on Lahav Shani was broadly supportive. It has taken the Germans calling them antisemitic to wake Belgium from its self-satisfaction.
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