Irish broadcaster asks to discuss Israel's participation in Eurovision
Kyiv • UNN
Irish broadcaster RTÉ has approached the EBU regarding Israel's participation in Eurovision following calls from 72 former contestants to ban Kan over accusations of supporting genocide in Gaza.
The Public Broadcaster of Ireland RTÉ has appealed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to discuss the issue of Israel's inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest, after 72 former participants demanded that the Israeli broadcaster Kan be banned from participating in the event. This is reported by UNN with reference to The Guardian.
Details
It is noted that the Director General of the Irish TV channel RTÉ, Kevin Backhurst, said that he is "shocked by the ongoing events in the Middle East and the terrible impact on civilians in the Gaza Strip, as well as the fate of the Israeli hostages."
According to Backhurst, by offering to discuss the issue of Israel's inclusion in Eurovision, he was aware of "the need to maintain RTÉ's objectivity in covering the war in Gaza", as well as "the severe political pressure" on the Israeli public broadcaster Kan from the Israeli government.
In an open letter to the European Broadcasting Union this week, 72 musicians, poets and performers associated with the competition called for Kan to be excluded, arguing that the broadcaster is "complicit in Israel's genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the long-standing regime of apartheid and military occupation against"
The document cites several instances in which Kan journalists allegedly approved of military actions or boasted about the destruction in the Gaza Strip, which is evidence of the broadcaster's involvement in the genocide.
The performers stated that including Kan in the program would "allow music to be used as a tool to justify crimes against humanity" and would be tantamount to double standards, as the European Broadcasting Union has banned Russia from participating in the event since 2022 due to its invasion of Ukraine.
Recall
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 a ban on the performance of the Israeli representative, as was done with Russia.
