During his appearance at the BBC Proms at London's Royal Albert Hall, Israeli conductor Ilan Volkov stunned the audience with a speech condemning the war in Gaza. The musician expressed that he carried "great pain" in his heart and that, although Israel was his home, he could not remain silent about the situation.
Volkov denounced the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, the repeated displacement of families, and the collapse of hospitals and schools in the Gaza Strip. “Innocent Palestinians are being killed by the thousands, displaced again and again, without hospitals or schools, without knowing when the next meal will arrive,” he told the audience.
The BBC cut off the television broadcast of the event before the speech began, arguing that it had not been informed in advance. However, the message was widely shared on social media, generating international reactions.
Later, in an interview, Volkov announced that he would not perform in Israel again as a protest. "We cannot let this continue; every moment that passes puts the safety of millions of people at risk," the director said, receiving a standing ovation from the audience.
Sources cited:
Middle East Eye – https://x.com/MiddleEastEye/status/1835000000000000000