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Musician Michael Barenboim says event cancellations due to polarised opinions over the Israel-Gaza war are having a chilling effect on Germany's cultural events sector.
Speaking at the Frankfurt International Book Fair on Friday, the renowned violinist and composer expressed concern over the number of scrapped events – from concerts to book launches – due to the pro-Palestinian views of the organisers or invited guests.
“Since last October, we’ve seen a sharp rise in the cancellation of cultural events connected to Palestine,” he said during a session exploring German society’s response to the war. "The absolute number is very high, but it’s not just about the numbers. These cancellations disproportionately affect marginalised groups.
"This affects many Palestinians and Jews. So we see here a rejection of certain voices, and these events are often cancelled on various grounds of anti-Semitism and so on.”
In addition to the nixed events, Barenboim says the atmosphere has led to instances of self-censorship by artists and organisations.
“You think once, twice, even three times before you say something. And this leads to a suppression of the discussion – a discussion that we absolutely must have,” he stated. “Even if you have an invitation now, the question becomes: when will I be invited back? This leads to a situation where many people in these sectors think carefully before speaking up, and this ultimately suppresses the debate we desperately need.”
While Barenboim didn’t provide examples of affected events during his discussion, the German cultural sector has been roiled by cancellations of events since the war began last October.
Notable examples include last year's Frankfurt International Book Fair, which scrapped a planned literary award ceremony for Palestinian author Adania Shibli for her novel A Minor Detail, which is set in Gaza. The move then led to Arab publishing bodies and organisations, including the Sharjah Book Authority, to withdraw from the festival.
British author Sharon Dodua Otoo also had her Peter Weiss Prize, a major literature award, revoked in December after signing a petition, as part of the Artists for Palestine UK collective, supporting a boycott of Israel by arts workers.
The Folkwang Museum, in the city of Essen, also shuttered an exhibition curated by Haitian writer Anais Duplan in response to pro-Palestinian commentary on his social media channels. In January, French-Lebanese DJ Arabian Panther, who performs wearing a black keffiyeh, accused Berlin club Berghain of cancelling his performance at the venue due to his support for Palestine. The club still has yet to officially respond.
Barenboim, a member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra – founded by his father, composer Daniel Barenboim, and Palestinian scholar Edward Said – said artists should maintain course and speak out in support of those suffering in Gaza.
"It is our responsibility to act," he said. "What we have seen in Gaza in recent months – burning children, widespread destruction – compels us to do something. Even if it’s just a small effort, we must act. It cannot be that we remain silent while witnessing such atrocities."
This sentiment was echoed by Turkish author Elif Shafak during the fair’s opening press conference on Tuesday. “The only emotion that really, really frightens me is the absence of all emotions, which is numbness and apathy. And I believe this world we are living in will become a much more dangerous and broken place if this age of angst were to become an age of apathy,” she said.
“The moment we stop caring, the moment we stop writing, and the moment we stop talking about what's happening in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan today, is the moment we become desensitised and indifferent."
Before its conclusion on Sunday, the fair will feature Palestine's former culture minister and novelist Atef Abu Saif, who will discuss the future prospects of his homeland, as well as a panel on Sudanese women’s literature in the face of the civil war.
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
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Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
