Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Conductor Daniel Barenboim said fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has prompted the cancellation of two concerts by his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra planned for Cairo and the Qatari capital Doha.

The conductor said concert organizers in both countries cited security risks as the reason for canceling. The West-Eastern Divan orchestra brings together young Israeli and Arab musicians to promote dialogue and make music. They were scheduled to play in Egypt on Jan. 10 and in Qatar on Jan. 12. Barenboim said he hopes the concerts can be re-scheduled for the near future.

At a news conference today at Berlin’s Staatsoper, where he is musical director, Barenboim said that he and the orchestra were “sad and appalled” about the situation in Gaza.

“We are not a political organization, and we have never had political goals,” he said. “But as you can imagine, we have all been deeply affected by the events of recent days.”

European diplomatic efforts have failed to end the 11-day conflict. Israeli troops today fought Hamas gunmen in street battles that raged in the Gaza Strip’s main cities.

Barenboim said a late change of plan enabled him to replace the canceled performances with a concert at the Staatsoper.

“Our orchestra has been flatteringly described as an orchestra for peace. It isn’t,” he said. “Peace calls for different measures. But perhaps it is a model. The fact is that even during this war, our members want to come together and make music with their enemies.

‘No Military Solution’

‘‘I don’t despair. If I did, I would not be here, and we would not be performing,’’ the conductor said. ‘‘I do despair of the short-sightedness of those who think there is a military solution to this problem.’’

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra comprises an equal number of members from Israel and from Arab countries, with Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, Palestinian, Iranian and Egyptian musicians. The two canceled concerts were part of a tour to mark the 10th anniversary of the orchestra’s founding.

The Berlin concert will take place on Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. at the Staatsoper. From there, the orchestra will go on to perform in Moscow on Jan. 15, Vienna on Jan. 17 and Milan on Jan. 18. For further information, see http://west-easterndivan.artists.warner.de/

(Shirley Apthorp is a critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.)

To contact the writer of this story: Shirley Apthorp at sarabande@compuserve.com.

Last Updated: January 6, 2009 10:27 EST