Several hundred people converged on Tuesday on Rabin Square in Tel Aviv for a artists’ protest against deadly IDF military action in Gaza. The protesters yelled, “No to violence in every direction,” and “Emergency action: artists against the war.” According to organizers “War is bad. We didn’t come into this world to kill one another. We believe in the shared and beautiful life of Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, we believe that there is a peaceful solution to the terrible war being waged right now, and we disparagingly kick at the nationalist militaristic propaganda being touted at the Israeli public. We are against missiles, tanks, cannons, and rockets from Israel and Gaza, and against violence from any direction aimed at any religion, gender, race, or color. There is an opposition in Israel. The occupation of the Palestinian territories must end. Peace talks must start. The State of Israel must change immediately!” The program, on Tuesday, included a lineup of artists presenting statements and artworks: performance, music, image, text, theatre and dance.

The artists’ protest against Gaza op in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv (Photo: Chen Tamir)

Conductor and Music Director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov, leaded an ensemble of musicians at the anti-war protest at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square.  “We improvised vocal and instrumental response to the situation. It was a small part of an evening with many other performances,” said Volkov. He has been working as Iceland Symphony Orchestra’s Conductor and Music Director since 2011. Originally from Israel, Ilan Volkov began working as a conductor at the early age of 19 and became the youngest conductor of a BBC symphony orchestra at 27.