Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever condemned antisemitism by attending a Munich Philharmonic concert in Germany after a Belgian festival canceled the orchestra over its Israeli conductor, Lahav Shani.
Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever delivered a powerful rebuke to antisemitism on Saturday, traveling to Essen, Germany, to stand alongside Israeli conductor Lahav Shani after the Munich Philharmonic was disinvited from the Flanders Festival Ghent.
The Ghent festival sparked outrage when it canceled the orchestra’s performance, citing Shani’s alleged failure to “unequivocally” distance himself from Israel’s government. The move has drawn widespread condemnation from Israeli and German officials, with critics branding it a blatant act of political discrimination.
De Wever said his visit was meant to “strongly condemn” the decision and to personally show support for Shani.
Sharing a photo of their meeting on X, the Prime Minister declared:
“There will never, ever be any room for racism and antisemitism in this country. I insisted on conveying this message to him personally and expressing my appreciation for his contribution to the power of music.”
Shani, 36, currently serves as music director of the Israel Philharmonic and is set to become the chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic for the 2026/27 season.
A German Counterpoint
In a powerful counter-move, the Berlin Philharmonic extended Shani an invitation to perform at a festival in the German capital next week. The German government welcomed the gesture, calling it “a wonderful sign” of solidarity.
The controversy has drawn sharp attention to how cultural platforms in Europe are increasingly becoming arenas for political pressure campaigns — and how leaders like De Wever are pushing back against what they view as the misuse of art to fuel antisemitism.
