Sderot, the most bombed city in the world? LOL Pull the other one , your crazy. I'd like to shake Barenboims hand, he's a rare thing , an Israeli who wants peace.

Barenboim. As amusician inestimable. As a human being less than worthless

With 1.2 billion of muslims in the word,I would like to see one of them coming to Israel showing solidarity for the children,the women and man all the civilians that were hurt in the terorist act from the hamas ,like Barenboim.Bashing Israel as he is doing he help creating more antisemite in the world .He is giving a very bad aspect of the jews.I am very sorry to have this litle man in our comunity and country.

In siding with the Palestinians he regards as the opressed underdog people needing the support his fame as a musician allows, he may have several purposes. He may think that it will result in a change in Israeli's view of Palestinians & an improvement in their daily life could be the outcome. He may also believe in the French saying as applicable to some of the Gazan extremists leaders: "La musique adouci les moeurs" (music softens manners). In this latter case his chances are as good as those any famous Jewish artist in Hitler's days would have had in changing the course taken by the nazis. Barenboim activities in Gaza will at best only be an occasion for Hamas to use him as temporary instrument of their propaganda, If Hamas was to govern all Palestinians & to impose sharia then Barenboim's music would soon be banned. He does not understand that his good intentions can have no beneficial effect on irredentist religious fanatics & he only risks prolong their grip on the minds of their truly opressed people.

Barenboim made his. He might be a 'succefull conductor, but he's a 'despiteful person. A man with his heart & brains in the wrong place.

He lived in Argentina and as leftist felt "insecured" after the second presidency of Peron so his family went to Israel when was gobern by the leftist parties. His ideology did not progress as the political spectrum in Israel has done. This is why he became Anti Israeli In arts, there are political tendencies. His carrier as a Chicago Symphonic Orchestra is worth to shelve in the forgotten room. He was not able to syncronize all the musicians Baremboim also needs to be less arrogant in his profession and more non-political to survive. There a lot of conductors with more talent than him.

A brave and honest reporting on Barenboim, so rare today. Who many Israeli writers would have write this kind of column?

His mind is tuned a quarter tone flat.

Remember, the 'great' ayatollah of Iran stated 'There is no fun in Islam." Only a matter of time before music is forbidden. Daniel is dupe, pure and simple.

I know the answer is yes! But I don't know why did He choose us? We have too many among us like Barenboim, each of them is a shameful embarrassment to our faith and the jewish Nation!

As a musician , I can indeed confirm that Mr. Barenboim is a very fine and accomplished musician .He is also a fine human being, but there is something seriously wrong with him .By all means he can go to Gaza and play for the poor people there but he is so one-sided and biased and politically screwed up.He spits on his heritage it seems.

Just shut the hell up and play your piano .Nobody cares about your political views one way or t' other.

To Ron from Melbourne: Your comment that Barenboim "does not think much of music" is laughable. His whole belief is that music brings people together. He totally recognized the memories that Wagne's music might have on Holocaust survivors or others and invited them to leave if they did not wish to here it. He forced no one to listen to Wagner!

he's a fool.

I disagree with this statement. I consider Mr.Barenboim to be a man of peace ,but sadly he is naive and very misguided.He has bought in to the tired old cliche and nonsense that Israelis are always the bad guys and the "poor palestinians " are always the oh so innocent victims.Barenboim should stick to what he knows ...struggling to play the music of Albeniz on the piano.

Daniel Barenboim is a profoundly decent human being ,but his interpretations are sometimes misguided ,and I refer to his politics.To portray one side in the conflict as all good and the other side as all bad is so wrong. Barenboim tries to do good and he does build bridges between peoples which is a good thing but his choices are sometimes not the best . He also criticizes Israel with not much risk to himself ,were he to similarly dare to do the same with palestinians he would not have escaped unharmed. So he is patently unfair and therein lies the problem with the man.

You are none too popular 'round here my son.

Moving interpretation / rendition of the classic melody : " MY OLD MANS A DUSTMAN " : Oh , my old man's a dustman ,He wears a dustmans' hat ,He wears cor-blimey trousers And he lives in a council flat (orchestration by maurice ravel no less ) .

Dear Giulio, thanks a lot for this moving article! I hope that you made sure that Barenboim receives this - I don't know whether this man has any shame, but this essay of yours is certainly something that needs to come before his eyes. thanks again!

...as determined by counting the number of bombs dropped on it. That's what "most bombed" means. Hamas recently admitted that most people who died in Cast Lead (2009) were NOT civilians. Recently a 7 year old boy died in Gaza from a Hamas rocket that misfired on its way to an Israeli town. That's life under Hamas. Not saying you have to like it, but that's reality.

i agree 100%

#10, as president Obama replied to those who questioned the killing, of Osama. You need to have your head examined. Gila, you need to get your head examined. Or better yet move to Gaza. You will be happy there.

Barenboim is respect, praised and acclaimed in the gentile world, because his criticism of Israel disguised as moves for peace delights Israeli bashers all over the world, and it shows, he is treated outside Israel like a celebrity of ethics

I wish Mr. Barenboim to be named the conductor of the Gaza Philharmonic. May he find favor there like his predecessor, Vic Arrigoni. His conducting, piano playing, as well as his musical style have always left me cold. He's really second rate. Gaza and he deserve one another.

The only people you love are terrorists. You are both a disgrace to Isreal and decent Arabs.Go to Jordan where you belong.

when I see his satanic face on T.V I always switch to another station and I am sure many people are doing likewise!!!

Barenboim shouldn't be allowed to enter Israel we have other composers who are just as good! Who needs him? I wonder if classical music is appreciated over the border anyway!

Have you read the "Hams Covenant"? see English copy at http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp In particular, Article Seven thereof, which affirms Hamas commitment to achieving the genocide of all Jews? What a "Useful Idiot" you are for Hamas! Read "Hams Covenant" and then review your support for this genocidal organisation!