Eurovision: Former contestants call on organizers to ban Israel from performing
Kyiv • UNN
More than 70 former Eurovision participants are calling for Israel to be banned from performing due to the war in Gaza. They demand the same sanctions that were imposed on Russia in 2022.
On the eve of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, more than 70 former participants signed an open letter condemning the war in Gaza and demanding that the Israeli representative be banned from performing, as was done with Russia. This was reported by UNN with reference to Hollywood Reporter.
Details
According to the publication, in a letter addressed to the European Broadcasting Union, British musician Mae Muller, the winner of the 1994 competition from Ireland, Charlie McGettigan, Portuguese singer Fernando Tordo and other artists called for Israel to be excluded from participation due to the "genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the long-standing regime of military occupation."
The letter states that the ongoing war in the region, according to the Ministry of Health controlled by Hamas, has claimed the lives of more than 50,000 Gazans.
As singers, songwriters, musicians and others who have had the honor of participating in Eurovision, we call on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and all its member broadcasters to act now and prevent further discrediting and disruption of the festival: Israel must be excluded from Eurovision
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has already demonstrated that it is capable of taking action, as in 2022, when it excluded Russia from the competition. We do not accept these double standards towards Israel
The signatories also accused the Israeli broadcaster Kan of "complicity" in the war.
Background
The publication noted that Israel's prolonged airstrikes on Gaza have been a source of fierce controversy at last year's Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.
According to the letter from former participants, this led to "the most politicized, chaotic and unpleasant competition in history."
That year, the Israeli band Eden Golan took fifth place, but after controversy and outrage among delegates and viewers, more than 56,000 people signed a petition calling for a ban on Israel's participation in the competition.
The Association of Composers and Songwriters of Iceland and 1,400 industry professionals across Europe also called for Golan to be suspended from the competition.
Representatives of the American entertainment industry also united to support an open letter calling for Israel to be included in the competition. With the assistance of the Creative Community for Peace group, it was signed by performers such as Helen Mirren, Liev Schreiber, Gene Simmons, Sharon Osbourne, Diane Warren, Scooter Brown, Boy George, Mayim Bialik, Haim Saban, Julianna Margulies and Debra Messing, as well as hundreds of others.
Response from Israel and the European Broadcasting Union
Israel has repeatedly denied that its attacks on Gaza constitute genocide, and court proceedings in the United Nations' highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), are ongoing.
Participation in the Eurovision Song Contest extends to all EBU member broadcasters. Israeli broadcaster Kan is a full and active member of the EBU and is therefore entitled to participate. As you rightly point out, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided to suspend Russia's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. At that time, there was a global discussion that resulted in many major events banning representatives of Russia from participating
The European broadcaster also added that "it was clear that Russian broadcasters were closely linked to the Russian government on the issue of the invasion of Ukraine", which is not the case with the Israeli broadcaster.
Additionally
In 2025, the final of the competition will take place on May 17 in Basel, Switzerland, where Israeli participant Yuval Raphael is to perform the song "New Day Will Rise."
But this year, the EBU may face another mass boycott. On May 6, Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Israeli musician Dudu Tassa were forced to cancel two performances in the UK due to a pro-Palestinian boycott and threats related to protests.
Intimidating concert venues to cancel our concerts will not help achieve the peace and justice that everyone in the Middle East deserves
At the same time, the Irish rap trio Kneecap forced an American audience at the Coachella festival last month to chant "Free Palestine." What made the situation even more complicated was their call for the death of MPs in the UK. English counter-terrorism police are even investigating the band's activities.
