Gemma New – don’t conduct in Tel Aviv!
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is calling on the NZ Symphony Orchestra conductor, Gemma New to cancel her engagement with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra next January.
PSNA Co-Chair John Minto says New should know that going to conduct the IPO can only be seen as endorsement of Israeli genocide in Gaza.
“The ISO plays concerts with Israeli soldiers in full uniform and puts them on YouTube.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLjucRUyd4Y
“These soldiers are in a military which is conducting mass starvation and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. There is no scope for neutrality, or nonsense slogans like ‘keep politics out of art.”
Minto says PSNA has written to New, but has received no reply.
“We’ve supplied her with details on the Israeli atrocities, even though she would have to be living under a rock to claim she doesn’t know about them.”
“But we have to give her the benefit of the doubt at the moment that she is not aware of the plea from Palestinian civil society for a Boycott, Divest and Sanction campaign against collaboration with Israel in all its forms.”
“Some leading artists, such as Kneecap, Lowkey and Roger Waters, are not only boycotting Israel, but they are actively campaigning to have governments sanction Israel, as the only effective means to achieve peace and justice for the Palestinian people.”
“No amounts of pleading, setting red lines or even recognition of Palestine are going to stop the Israeli war machine,” Minto says.
“We’ve noticed that some New on-line schedules don’t feature her Tel Aviv and Haifa performances. That might mean she has cancelled, or to be less charitable, she is trying to keep her engagements secret. However she is still listed to perform here ”
“We’d love to hear from her, that she’s taken the principled action which Lorde took in 2017, and refused to play Tel Aviv.”
“If not, she, and by extension the NZ Symphony Orchestra, will always be forever tainted by supporting the worst atrocity of the 21st Century.”
John Minto
Co-Chair PSNA
Gemma New’s support for a little light genocide music, taints the New Zealand orchestra and all its players.
She has just pulled OUT!!!!
It’s no longer listed on the website her agent runs, however, the listings are still up there on the website of the babykilling orchestra.
https://www.ipo.co.il/program/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%97%D7%AA-%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%A6%D7%97%D7%AA-%D7%92%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%95-%D7%95%D7%90-2/?event_id=55409
https://www.ipo.co.il/program/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%97%D7%AA-%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%A6%D7%97%D7%AA-%D7%92%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%95-%D7%95%D7%90-3/?event_id=55417
If she has indeed announced that she will not be giving aid and comfort to the terrorists, then great, and I congratulate her on taking the moral stance (please provide a link). Otherwise, there is no reason to think that things have changed.
Actually- I see this has been confirmed by PSNA in the following post, though I will certainly be checking back in January just in case.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2025/09/05/psna-congratulates-gemma-new-on-withdrawing-from-apartheid-israeli-concerts/
Obviously, I hope she has done the right thing for the right reason, but it is always better to do the right thing for the wrong reason than to do the wrong thing for any reason.
“….than to do the wrong thing for any reason.”
Like supporting Assad fascism and Russian imperialism.
After Netanyahu, Assad was the biggest murderer of Palestinians.
Yes, yes Pat, you support ISIS and its ‘Israeli’ masters. We know
Sammy has raped the truth repeatedly ,,, Israel style ,,, when he speaks of Hamas .
Have you recanted or apologized for your Israeli spawned ‘blood libel’ Sammy????
We know Sammy has wanked on about fictitious Hamas rapes ,,, that never happened on Oct 7th ,,, eh >>Sammy.
But has Sammy ever condemned the very real and systemic sexual assault / rape that Israeli jailers commit ,,, no question marks required,, we Know he has not.