Not Unless We Get To Play Ramallah

Noam Ben Zeev in today's Ha'aretz looks at classical musicians who either boycott Israel or insist on West Bank concerts in their contracts. At issue:

...music is inherently based on dialogue, inner expression and listening to others simultaneously. The fact that is also an abstract art, lacking words, ostensibly endows it with the power to bridge both sides, leading to cooperation and understanding between the parties. An Israeli violinist and a Syrian violinist sitting together in front of the same sheet of Beethoven in the Diwan East West Orchestra are having a dialogue. But, by definition, dialogue takes place between equals; it is hard to say Israeli and Palestinian sides are in equals in this situation.