World-renowned conductor Mehta cancels all his projects in 'Israel'

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Palestine

Conductor Zubin Mehta cancels all artistic commitments in 'Israel'.
Mehta cites Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and repression in the West Bank.

World-renowned conductor Zubin Mehta, 89, announced he is canceling all his artistic projects and commitments in 'Israel' in protest of the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the violent treatment of Palestinians.

Speaking to India Today, Mehta, who led the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for 55 years, said, “I cannot separate music from politics, and I have canceled all my commitments in Israel this year because of my opposition to how Netanyahu is handling the entire Palestinian issue.” His statement referred directly to the ongoing 'Israeli' war in Gaza and the killing of Palestinian civilians.

Mehta emphasized that artists and musicians have a moral responsibility in major issues, particularly when it involves wars and crimes against peoples. He added that silence or indifference is no longer acceptable given the widespread destruction in Gaza, the thousands of casualties, and the continued policies of repression and settlement expansion in the West Bank.

The conductor’s stance is among the most prominent public condemnations from a global artist with historic ties to 'Israeli' cultural institutions. Mehta has previously warned about 'Israel’s' growing international isolation, linking it today directly to war crimes and violations against Palestinians.

His decision comes amid rising international cultural and artistic boycotts of 'Israel', as global voices increasingly hold Netanyahu’s government accountable for mass killings, forced displacement, and systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank, in clear violation of international humanitarian law.

Born April 29, 1936, Mehta is one of the most influential classical music conductors of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. He has held top positions with major orchestras worldwide, including as honorary music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. Educated in Vienna, Mehta rose to international fame early in his career, leading leading theaters and orchestras across Europe and North America, and has received numerous global awards in recognition of his long artistic career.