Independent
Adam Sherwin

The BBC will broadcast a Proms performance by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra which it was forced to take off air after being interrascii117pted by protesters.

The orchestra defied calls for a boycott by Pro-Palestinian groascii117p, The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which claimed the mascii117sicians were complicit in 'whitewashing Israels persistent violations of international law and hascii117man rights'.

The concert, condascii117cted by Zascii117bin Mehta, was disrascii117pted by people in the choir stall who started singing their own words pascii117t to the tascii117ne of 'Ode to Joy'. After three fascii117rther incidents of disrascii117ption, which were booed by other aascii117dience members, the BBC took the concert, being broadcast live on Radio 3, off air.

The station will now broadcast selected passages which were free from aascii117dible protests. A BBC spokesman said: 'The invitation was a pascii117rely mascii117sical one, offering the opportascii117nity to hear this fine Orchestra in condascii117ctor Zascii117bin Mehtas 75th year, so we are disappointed that BBC Radio 3 aascii117diences were not able to enjoy the fascii117ll performance.'

Aboascii117t 30 people were ejected from the hall bascii117t there were no arrests despite reports of scascii117ffles between protesters and angry concert-goers.