PSNA congratulates Gemma New on withdrawing from apartheid Israeli concerts
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
5 September 2025
Media Release:
PSNA congratulates Gemma New on withdrawing from apartheid Israeli concerts
Following the media release we issued yesterday – PSNA received confirmation early this morning that New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conductor Gemma New has pulled out of her concerts scheduled for Israel in January 2026 where she was to conduct the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra.
The concerts are still on the IPO website but in response to a letter from PSNA last week, Gemma New has replied through a New York artists agency this morning:
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Dear Mr. Nazzal,
Due to the current travel advisories from the United States to Israel, Ms. New has withdrawn from the engagement you reference. Her name may still appear on the orchestra’s website until such time as the institution appoints a replacement conductor, which is at their discretion and not within our control.
Her decision reflects official travel guidance and her responsibility to adhere to those parameters. She is a musician whose role is to make music and to travel in line with the advice of the relevant authorities.
We kindly ask that you not write further or engage with us or in any public forum on this matter.
All best,
Charlotte
Charlotte Lee
President and Founder
Primo Artists
New York
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“We congratulate Ms New on her withdrawal from the concert series in apartheid Israel” says PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzzal. “After 23 months of mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza she has reconsidered her decision to go and we welcome that”
“The result is a significant win for the BDS movement to isolate apartheid Israel”
“New is joining artists and performers from all over the world who turn their backs on apartheid Israel”
“The ‘official travel guidance’ reason given by the agency for the concert withdrawal doesn’t stack up. It’s simply public relations spin to cover what was a dreadful decision to go in the first place”
“As we pointed out yesterday any performance in Israel would be seen as support for Israeli war crimes.”
“The IPO plays concerts with Israeli soldiers in full uniform and puts them on YouTube.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLjucRUyd4Y
“Music and performance in the apartheid state is tightly linked to the brutal oppression of Palestinians,’ says Nazzal. “It’s the same for every aspect of life for under an Israeli military occupation”.
Maher Nazzal
Co-Chair PSNA