Peace Concert Blown For Security Reasons

An Istanbul peace concert by award-winning musician Yuval Ron was canceled because authorities believed the event might get out of hand.

The show scheduled for a public square in the city’s Sultanahmet district June 9 was meant to bridge the religious divide between Jews, Christians and Muslims.

It was scrapped because of pressure from the IHH Turkish Humanitarian Relief foundation and other Islamic groups, who claimed Israeli participation was “unacceptable.”

The main problem seems to have been the show was close to the first anniversary of the nine deaths that resulted when Israeli defense forces boarded the Mavi Marmara, one of a flotilla of ships IHH had sent to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

“We will not allow for the normalization of relations with Israel after nine of our people were killed aboard the flotilla, and so long as the siege and occupation persist in Palestine,” IHH spokesman Hussein Arutch explained.

He said Israel owes the Turkish government an apology, and that Israel’s attempt to hold an event in Istanbul so close to the May 30 anniversary was “a provocation.”

Yuval Ron, who in 2007 won an Oscar for his music for “West Bank Story,” said he regretted the cancellation but had to be mindful of the safety of his band and crew.