Calls for boycotts of Israel and its exclusion from international competitions have intensified amid the war on Gaza [Getty]
Spain’s public broadcaster said on Friday it had called for a “debate” over Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland due to “concerns” over Israel’s war on Gaza.
RTVE has sent a letter to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which manages the event, “requesting a debate on the participation of Israeli public television (KAN)” in the contest, the Spanish public broadcaster said in a statement.
The Swiss city of Basel will host the glitzy annual extravaganza — one of the world’s biggest live television events, which involves countries from Europe to Australia — at the St. Jakobshalle indoor arena, with the semi-finals on May 13 and 15, and the final on May 17.
Public broadcasters of participating nations select the candidate to represent them, so the absence of KAN would mean there would be no Israeli performer at this year’s event.
RTVE said it “reiterates its support” for Eurovision “but also acknowledges the concerns that the situation in Gaza and the participation of KAN public television are raising within Spanish civil society.
“It would be appropriate for the EBU to recognise the existence of this debate and provide a forum for discussion between EBU member broadcasters on the participation of Israeli public television,” the statement added.
The EBU said it appreciated “concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East”, but added that all its members were eligible to compete at Eurovision.
“We remain in constant contact with those participating this year, including RTVE, on all aspects of the contest,” it added in a statement.
Finland’s public broadcaster Yle received two petitions last month demanding it push for Israel to be banned from the contest due to the war on Gaza.
One was signed by more than 500 music and culture industry professionals, while a public petition was signed by over 10,000 people.
Israel has won the contest four times, most recently in Lisbon in 2018.
Calls for boycotts of Israel and its exclusion from international competitions have intensified amid the war on Gaza, which killed more than 61,000 people in the territory.
Israel has been accused of committing genocide at the World Court, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant are wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges.
