"A grim recollection of the dark era of German anti-Semitic oppression and mass killings of Jews"
In a series of unexpected turns, two European cultural events have found themselves embroiled in controversy due to their decisions regarding Israeli and Palestinian participation.
The Euro-Scene Leipzig theater festival has cancelled the performance of the Palestinian piece 'And here I am', citing unspecified reasons. Meanwhile, the Belgian music festival 'Flanders Festival Ghent' has disinvited the Munich Philharmonic at short notice, with the Israeli conductor Lahav Shani being the apparent cause.
Giovanni di Lorenzo, a prominent German journalist and moderator of the talk show '3 nach 9', has strongly condemned these disinvitations. In an interview, he compared the treatment of Lahav Shani to the persecution of Jews in the past. He also shared a personal example of antisemitism in Germany, where a young Jewish couple was advised not to enroll their child with a Jewish name in a school due to safety concerns.
The organizers in Ghent have stated that they cannot guarantee the safety of the musicians and visitors at the festival due to Lahav Shani's Israeli nationality. However, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Lahav Shani's leadership is being invited by organizers in Luxembourg for November 9th, despite the controversy in Ghent. The organizers in Luxembourg have assured that they have no concerns about the cheerfulness or safety of the concert.
Interestingly, the Ibug Street Art Festival in Chemnitz is continuing despite allegations of antisemitism against Israel-critical art. The cancellation of the performance at the Euro-Scene Leipzig and the disinvitation at the Flanders Festival Ghent, however, are embedded in a larger debate about Israeli participation in cultural events, such as the current debate about Israeli participation in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC).
As the cultural landscape in Europe continues to evolve, these incidents serve as a reminder of the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the treatment of Jews in Europe.
