Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE said on Friday that it has called for a ‘debate’ regarding Israel’s involvement in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, citing concerns over the on-going conflict in Gaza.
In a statement, RTVE confirmed that it had sent a letter to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the event, ‘requesting a debate on the participation of Israeli public television (KAN)’ in the competition.
This year’s Eurovision is set to take place in the Swiss city of Basel at the St.Jakobshalle arena. The semi-final rounds are scheduled for 13 and 15 May, with the grand final slated for 17 May. The contest, known for its glitzy production and international reach, features entries from across Europe and beyond, including Australia.
Participating countries each select their own representative through their public broadcasters. If KAN were to be excluded, Israel would not be represented in the contest.
RTVE stressed that it ‘reiterates its support’ for the Eurovision Song Contest, but also acknowledged growing discontent in Spain over the Gaza conflict and Israel’s inclusion in the show.
‘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 said.
The EBU responded by stating it recognises the ‘concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East’, but clarified that all member broadcasters remain eligible to participate.
‘We remain in constant contact with those participating this year, including RTVE, on all aspects of the contest,’ it said in its own statement.
Protests erupted during last year’s event in Malmö, Sweden, where demonstrators opposed Israel’s participation amid the war in Gaza.
Israeli contestant Eden Golan was required to revise her song’s lyrics due to apparent references to the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered the current conflict.
This year, Israel will be represented in Basel by Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Nova music festival massacre, where over 370 people were killed by Hamas militants. Raphael survived by hiding under bodies and has said she is prepared to face potential hostility like Golan encountered.
In Finland, public broadcaster Yle recently received two petitions calling for Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision over the war. One petition was backed by more than 500 music and culture industry professionals, while a public campaign gathered over 10,000 signatures.
Israel has claimed victory at Eurovision four times, with its most recent win in 2018 in Lisbon.
According to Israeli reports, the 7 October Hamas-led assault resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza, which, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, has led to nearly 51,000 deaths – mainly civilians. The United Nations considers these casualty figures generally credible.
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