BDS groups protest Israel Philharmonic in Buenos Aires

Zubin Mehta becomes a trending topic on Twitter

By JTA 27 August 2013, 6:57 pm 16 Edit

Zubin Mehta, conductor of Israel's Philharmonic Orchestra. (photo credit Oded Altman/Flash90)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Pro-Palestinian groups held an anti-Israel demonstration outside a Buenos Aires theater during a charity concert by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Some 50 demonstrators outside the Colon Theatre on Monday called for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions against Israel.

A statement from the Federation of Palestine-Argentinian institutions and the Association for Human Rights in Palestine — the groups that organized the protest — said Israel “kills one Palestinian child every three days” and that Israel is carrying out a policy of “ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”

The demonstration did not interfere with or interrupt the performance by the orchestra and conducter Zubin Mehta on behalf of the Tzedaka Foundation.

On Sunday, the IPO performed in a Tango Dance Festival and World Cup of Tango in a free concert at Puente Alsina Public Park before a crowd of 20,000.

The performance was covered by local media and broadcast live by Todo Noticias, a 24-hour news channel. Zubin Mehta was a trending topic on Twitter in Buenos Aires.