Amsterdam mayor rejects antisemitism claims after Chanukah concert cancellation

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema praised a resolution reached over the annual Chanukah celebration at Het Concertgebouw, which had faced controversy over Israeli singer Shai Abramson’s participation. Under the new agreement, Abramson will not perform at the public concert on December 14 but will appear at two private performances.

Halsema emphasized that she does not weigh in on programming decisions. “I do not oversee programming. Throughout the city, stages are free to decide what they want to present and make their own judgments. I cannot force people to put someone on stage, and I cannot force them to remove someone either. They are free to make those choices,” she told AT5.

While declining to comment on the earlier dispute, Halsema strongly rejected accusations that Het Concertgebouw acted out of antisemitism. “That accusation is not fair. The distinction made by the Concertgebouw was that they wanted to host the Chanukah concert, but had concerns about the lead singer and his ties to the Israeli military,” she said.

The mayor also stressed that the Chanukah celebration itself was never in question. “No one at the Concertgebouw ever said that the Chanukah celebration was no longer welcome. Chanukah is very important for our city. It is an old tradition of light and hope here,” Halsema said, adding that criticizing the singer does not equate to opposing the religious celebration.

“I have spoken with all parties and understand the emotions involved. At the same time, we must discuss these matters carefully,” she added.