The leader of the Belgian Groen party, Aimen Horch, has called for a cultural boycott of Israel, following news of Israeli conductor Lahav Shani’s upcoming performance at Bozar.
Groen issued a statement on Saturday describing the invitation as “entirely inappropriate.”
Horch advocated for an unequivocal cultural boycott, extending to events such as the Eurovision Song Contest. He stated, “There is no place for cultural ambassadors of a regime that commits genocide and engages in illegal wars without accountability.”
The party argued it was incorrect to claim Shani is not representing Israel. As the principal conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, he is closely linked to the Israeli government and military, Groen asserted.
Groen highlighted examples to substantiate the claim, noting that soldiers have played in the orchestra and others have received free tickets. Furthermore, Shani himself has reportedly referred to the orchestra as “ambassadors of Israel.”
Last year, Shani was removed from the programme of the Ghent Festival in Flanders, sparking criticism both in Belgium and abroad.
