Zubin Mehta has cancelled all his scheduled performances in Israel this year in protest against the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toward Palestinians.
Speaking in an interview with India Today, the veteran conductor said he took the decision because he objects to the way the current Israeli government is handling the Palestinian issue. “I have cancelled all my engagements in Israel this year,” Mehta stated, adding that he does not believe music can be separated from political realities.
Mehta, who served as music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra from 1981 until 2020 and maintained a close association with the ensemble for decades, said he cannot remain indifferent to what is happening. In the interview, he also expressed hope that Netanyahu would be voted out in future elections, while acknowledging the prime minister’s strong parliamentary majority.
The Indian-born maestro, now 89, noted that his stance contrasts with his current work with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a project bringing together Israeli and Palestinian musicians. Mehta is set to conduct the orchestra in concerts across Europe this year, including performances in Spain, Italy, and Austria.
Mehta had already cancelled several appearances in Israel late last year for health reasons; his most recent decision, however, was presented as a political protest rather than a medical one.
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