The management of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has been rebuked by pro-Israel and pro-Palestine activists, as well as its own players, after it cancelled a guest pianist’s concert for his onstage remarks about the Gaza war, and then backtracked.

The MSO is the latest arts organisation to be caught up in the worldwide culture war being waged alongside the real war in Palestine. Both Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre have in the past 10 months faced protest from the Jewish community, after some of their contracted employees made pro-Palestine statements separate to their performances.